Prologue
Jason Bourne jumped into the river.
But, when he finally reaches shore... He’s no longer Jason Bourne.
He’s thinking of David Webb as a good name to hold.
He coughs violently some. He shivers a lot. But, he’s alive.
He’s alive under some wooden docks, further out toward the Atlantic Ocean.
He coughs violently some again.
He instinctively feels like reaching for something...anything warm to help.
He mutters under his breath, “goddamnit!”
He remembers he no longer has his bag. It had emergency medical supplies for something like this.
He gets up.
He runs like hell, despite his shivering.
He’s desperately trying to keep his body temperature up. The only way he saw how was to keep moving.
He breathes a small sigh of relief at how dark the night has become.
He runs to the nearest illegally parked car. It was black like the night.
He pops up the hood.
David Webb leans over the engine. A pocket of warm air comes out around him.
He’s still shivering a lot. But, the numbness has subsided a little.
He closes the hood.
He uses the blunt side of his gun to smash in a expired parking meter.
He takes out the dial hand.
He very faintly smiles. It’s a good size for what he has in mind.
He uses it to pick the car lock.
The car door unlocks. He gets in, closing it behind him.
Soon, he has the heat turned up high. His temperature is getting closer to normal now.
He hears police sirens.
He doesn’t know if they’re after him. But, he doesn’t think about it for long.
He starts the car...speeding off into the late night.
Several minutes later...
He finds it hard to focus. He knows all too well by now what that usually means.
He’s kind of sweaty from the heat turned up in the car. But, that’s not it.
He pulls the car into a dark alley, grinding on the break with his foot.
He groans hard a little.
He shuts his eyes, trying futilely to stay alert to his current surroundings.
Flashes with near blindingly bright white lines run through his head.
Behavior modification. They had to break...
David Webb being led in by several men in black through the Treadstone facility’s hospital facility front.
You said you wanted to save American lives...save American lives.
David Webb coming out of a car a block away from 71st Street.
They had to break them before they became...
Well...this is it David.
A nervous gulp.
Are you ready?
Yes.
Faint chuckle.
Where would we even go? We knew...
...we knew the risks. It’s too late to get my car back.
Faint chuckle.
I know. I was there with you.
It’s just...
What?
If I don’t get to be your handler...what? You get someone who can’t stand to be with you? That would be difficult.
Nicky Parsons standing by the car with David Webb, talking to him.
She’s wearing a green and near whitish red splotchy low cut sleeved top.
Wavy light sandy blond hair down to shoulders. Small metal clock pendulum earrings.
Light blue jeans.
She finds it hard to look up. But, she does anyway.
A black obelisk like ring on her hand.
Please.
Chuckle.
I’ll just make it shit for handler after handler until they get you.
Nicky Parsons kind of loudly chuckles.
I love you David.
I love you too Lauren.
They pull each other into a kiss.
Presently...
David Webb takes a heavy breath.
He looks warily around the alley. But, no one else is there.
Only a shadow. His.
David Webb thinks to himself, “it’s the same memory...the last one I saw in that room. But, it’s coming back clear now. I can see her face.”
He then thinks back to Marie.
He sniffles hard. He gets teary eyed.
He quickly turns his thoughts elsewhere. But, he knows he can’t run from his memories.
He starts to drive the car, backing up.
He drives on on the road.
The teariness in his eyes start to dry up. All too easily from his training or worse.
He then thinks to himself, “I remember everything: Everything that I need to remember. I just have to find her again. Heavy sigh. Faint sniffle. I don’t know if we even still have those feelings. But, any way it goes... It all has to come back. It’s where it really started for me.”
Right now though, he has no idea where to start looking.
There aren’t many places left he can think of off the top of his head where the C.I.A. wouldn’t double check. None...except one.
He very faintly chuckles.
He thinks to himself, “it’s a good place to go. I know it is.”
