Robert Ludlum's the Bourne Evolution - Brian Freeman Page 0,100
were finished; others were in the process of being built.
“There are still a number of homesites left throughout the hills,” Iniya told them. “Most feature unobstructed views of the Strip.”
“I can see that,” Jason said.
“Did you choose the Las Vegas area for a particular reason?” she asked.
“Oh, I like it hot. Usually, I’m in Dallas or the Middle East. I’m a bit of a gambling man, so I like having a place to stay that I can call my own when I come to town.”
“Naturally.”
“Mind if we stop for a minute and let me stretch my legs, Iniya? I like to have boots on the ground when I judge a place.”
“Yes, of course, Charlie.”
The realtor parked the red Mercedes on one of the streets that curved around the hillside terraces. Bourne and Abbey both got out, and Jason put his hands on his hips and sighed loudly, as if admiring the views. He strolled up the street and surveyed each of the estates looming above him, one by one. They were all lavish, multistory mansions clinging to the sides of the mountain. Any of them could have been home to Medusa. Or perhaps all of them were. Then he spotted one particular estate higher than the others, with a commanding location above the valley and all of the wealthy neighbors situated below him. It was much larger than the rest, built in modules of rich stone and marble, with a series of flat roofs. On one of the roofs, he could see a helicopter, so the owner didn’t have to deal with the Las Vegas traffic. From where he was, he could also see a lineup of catering trucks parked on the road that led to the estate.
“Looks like somebody’s having a party tonight,” Jason said.
Iniya followed his gaze. “Oh, yes. A wedding reception actually.”
“Who’s getting married?”
The realtor hesitated. “I’m afraid I can’t give out any names, Charlie. As I mentioned, privacy is paramount here. Should you choose to build, of course, you’ll find the residents here very welcoming.”
“Sure, sure.” Jason continued to study the house at the top of the mountain. “Definitely the primo spot up there.”
“Yes, it was the first house built in the community.”
“Are those bighorn sheep I see? Wandering on the grounds?”
Iniya flushed with embarrassment. “Yes, the owner created something of a preserve for the animals.”
“Guess we all have our quirks,” Jason said.
Abbey arrived at Jason’s side, and she leaned close enough to whisper in his ear. “Check out the eye.”
Bourne took another look at the sprawling estate above them, and he saw it now. An elaborate series of fountains sprayed like geysers from one of the swimming pools, and the water in the centermost fountain formed a kind of screen on which was projected a huge, ultra-high-definition video image of a single human eye. As he watched, the eye actually winked at him.
He’d seen that eye before, on the phone he’d taken from the thug in the New York subway. It showed up on the welcome screen for the Prescix software.
Jason and Abbey exchanged a glance. Then he smiled at the realtor.
“So this reception tonight,” he said. “Are you going, Iniya?”
“I am, actually. My husband and I are both going. I’ve been the principal sales agent on the entire project, so I know everyone here. A limo will be picking us up and whisking us to the party. It’s all very lovely. You’ll discover that people in Sensara know how to do things right.”
“Must be a hot ticket.”
“Oh, it is. Several hundred people, I believe. Guests are flying in from all over the world.”
“Wish I could go and meet some of my future neighbors,” Bourne said. “Any chance you could snag an invite for me and Abigail?”
“Truly, I wish I could, Mr. Briggs, but it’s simply not possible.”
“I understand completely,” Jason replied. “No worries at all. I’m sure you and your husband will have a nice time. Where did you say you two live again?”
*
“GABRIEL Fox,” Jason announced as he checked the fit of the black tuxedo jacket in the mirror. “The founder, designer, and principal shareholder of Prescix. He’s the one who lives in the castle on the hill in Sensara. I found a reference to his house in a tech magazine.”
Abbey replied from behind the curtain in the private dressing room. They were in an upscale boutique in the Forum Shops at Caesars. “It fits, doesn’t it? Medusa uses Prescix, so it makes sense that the founder would also be involved with Medusa.