tc.patriotgames-第113节

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　　　　Dobbens　gave　the　man　his　clipboard。　〃Hey；　if　you　want　to　check　it　out；　you　can　call　that　number　up　top。　That's　the　field…operations　office　at　pany　headquarters　in　Baltimore。　Ask　for　Mr。　Griffin。〃
　　　　Avery　talked　into　his　radio；　ordering　his　men　to　do　just　that。　〃Do　you　mind　if　we　look　at　the　truck？〃
　　　　〃Be　my　guest；〃　Dobbens　replied。　He　led　the　two　agents　around。　He　noted　also　that　four　men　were　keeping　a　very　close　eye　on　things；　and　that　they　were　widely　separated；　with　their　hands　free。　Others　were　scattered　across　the　yard。　He　yanked　open　the　sliding　door　and　waved　the　two　agents　inside。
　　　　The　agents　saw　a　mass　of　tools　and　cables　and　test　equipment。　Avery　let　his　subordinate　do　the　searching。　〃Do　you　have　to　go　back　there　now？〃
　　　　〃The　transformer　might　go　out；　man。　I　could　let　it；　but　the　folks　in　the　neighborhood　might　be　upset　if　the　lights　went　off。　People　are　like　that；　you　know？　Do　you　mind　if　I　ask　who　you　are？〃
　　　　〃Secret　Service。〃　Avery　held　up　his　ID。　Dobbens　was　taken　aback。
　　　　〃Jeez！　You　mean　the　President's　back　there？〃　
　　　　〃I　can't　say；〃　Avery　replied。　〃What's　the　problem　with　the　transformer　　you　said　it　was　new？〃
　　　　〃Yeah；　it's　an　experimental　model。　It　uses　an　inert　cooling　agent　instead　of　PBBs；　and　it　has　a　built…in　surge…suppressor。　That's　probably　the　problem。　It　looks　like　the　unit's　temperature…sensitive　for　some　reason。　We've　adjusted　it　several　times；　but　we　can't　seem　to　get　it　dialed　in　right。　I've　been　on　the　project　for　a　couple　of　months。　Usually　I　let　my　people　do　it；　but　this　time　the　boss　wanted　me　to　eyeball　it　myself。〃　He　shrugged。　〃It's　my　project。〃
　　　　The　other　agent　came　out　of　the　van　and　shook　his　head。　Avery　nodded。　Next　the　chief　agent　called　the　radio　van；　whose　occupants　had　called　Baltimore　Gas　&　Electric　and　confirmed　what　Alex　had　told　them。
　　　　〃You　want　to　send　a　guy　to　watch　us？〃　Dobbens　asked。　
　　　　〃No；　that's　okay。　How　long　will　it　take？〃　Avery　asked。
　　　　〃Your　guess　is　as　good　as　mine；　sir。　It's　probably　something　simple；　but　we　haven't　figured　it　out　yet。　〃The　simple　ones　are　the　ones　that　kill　you。〃
　　　　〃There's　a　storm　ing　in。　I　wouldn't　want　to　be　up　on　a　pole　in　one　of　those；〃　the　agent　observed。
　　　　〃Yeah；　well；　while　we're　sitting　here；　we're　not　getting　much　work　done。　Everything　okay　with　you　guys？〃　
　　　　〃Yeah；　go　ahead。〃　
　　　　〃You　really　can't　tell　me　who's　in　the　neighborhood？〃　
　　　　Avery　smiled。　〃Sorry。〃　
　　　　〃Well；　I　didn't　vote　for　him　anyway。〃　Dobbens　laughed。　
　　　　〃Hold　it！〃　the　second　agent　called。　
　　　　〃What's　the　matter？〃　
　　　　〃That　left…front　tire。〃　The　man　pointed。
　　　　〃Goddammit；　Louis！〃　Dobbens　growled　at　the　driver。　The　steel　belt　was　showing　on　part　of　the　tire。
　　　　〃Hey；　boss；　it's　not　my　fault。　They　were　supposed　to　change　it　this　morning。　I　wrote　it　up　Wednesday；〃　the　driver　protested。　〃〃I　got　the　order　slip　right　here。〃
　　　　〃All　right；　just　take　it　easy。〃　Dobbens　looked　over　to　the　agent。　〃Thanks；　man。〃
　　　　〃Can't　you　change　it？〃
　　　　〃We　don't　have　a　jack。　Somebody　lifted　it。　That's　a　problem　with　pany　trucks。　Something　is　always　missing。　It'll　be　all　right。　Well；　we　got　a　transformer　to　fix。　See　ya。〃　Alex　reboarded　the　truck　and　waved　as　the　vehicle　pulled　off。　
　　　　〃Good　one；　Louis。〃
　　　　The　driver　smiled。　〃Yeah；　I　thought　the　tire　was　a　nice　touch。　I　counted　fourteen。〃
　　　　〃Right。　Three　in　the　trees。　Figure　four　more　in　the　house。　They're　not　our　problem。〃　He　paused；　looking　at　the　clouds　that　were　building　on　the　horizon。　〃I　hope　Ed　and　Willy　made　out　all　right。〃
　　　　〃They　did。　All　they　had　to　do　was　hose　down　one　pigmobile　and　switch　cars。　The　pigs　here　were　more　relaxed　than　I　expected；〃　Louis　observed。
　　　　〃Why　not？　They　think　we're　someplace　else。〃　Alex　opened　a　toolbox　and　removed　his　transceiver。　The　agent　had　seen　it　and　not　questioned　it。　He　couldn't　tell　that　the　frequency　range　had　been　altered。　There　were　no　guns　in　the　van；　of　course；　but　radios　were　far　deadlier。　He　radioed　what　he'd　learned　and　got　an　acknowledgment。　Then　he　smiled。　The　agents　hadn't　even　asked　about　the　two　extension　ladders　on　the　roof。　He　checked　his　watch。　Rendezvous　was　scheduled　in　ninety　minutes　。　。　。　

　　　　〃The　problem　is；　there　really　isn't　a　civilized　way　to　eat　corn　on　the　cob；〃　Cathy　said。　〃Not　to　mention　buttering　it。〃　
　　　　〃It　was　excellent；　though；〃　the　Prince　noted。　〃From　a　local　farm；　Jack？〃
　　　　〃Picked　'em　off　the　stalk　this　afternoon；〃　Ryan　confirmed。　〃That's　the　best　way　to　get　it。〃
　　　　Sally'd　bee　a　slow　eater　of　late。　She　was　still　laboring　at　her　food；　but　nobody　seemed　anxious　to　leave　the　table。
　　　　〃Jack；　Cathy；　that　was　a　wonderful　dinner；〃　His　Highness　pronounced。
　　　　His　wife　agreed。　〃And　no　after…dinner　speechmaking！〃　
　　　　〃I　guess　all　that　formal　stuff　gets　to　be　tiresome；〃　Robby　noted；　trying　to　ask　a　question　that　he　couldn't　voice：　What's　it　like　to　be　a　prince？
　　　　〃It　wouldn't　be　so　bad　if　the　speeches　could　be　original；　but　I've　been　listening　to　the　same　one　for　years！〃　he　said　wryly。　〃Excuse　me。　I　mustn't　say　such　things；　even　around　friends。〃　
　　　　〃It's　not　all　that　different　at　a　History　Department　meeting；〃　Jack　said。

　　　　At　Quantico；　Virginia；　the　phone　rang。　The　FBI's　Hostage　Rescue　Team　had　its　own　private　building；　located　at　the　end　of　the　long　line　of　firing　ranges　that　served　the　Bureau's　training　center。　An　engineless　DC…4　sat　behind　it；　and　was　used　to　practice　assault　techniques　on　hijacked　aircraft。　Down　the　hill　was　the　〃Hostage　House〃　and　other　facilities　used　every　day　for　the　team　members　to　hone　their　skills。　Special　Agent　Gus　Werner　picked　up　the　phone。
　　　　〃Hi；　Gus；〃　Bill　Shaw　said。
　　　　〃Have　they　found　'em　yet？〃　Werner　asked。　He　was　thirty…five；　a　short；　wiry　man　with　red　hair　and　a　brushy　mustache　that　never　would　have　been　allowed　under　Hoover's　directorship。
　　　　〃No；　but　I　want　you　to　assemble　an　advance　team　and　fly　them　up。　If　something　breaks；　we　may　have　to　move　fast。〃　
　　　　〃Fair　enough。　Where　are　we　going；　exactly？〃　
　　　　〃Hagerstown；　the　State　Police　barracks。　S…A…C　Baltimore　will　be　waiting　for　you。〃
　　　　〃Okay；　I'll　take　six　men。　We　can　probably　get　moving　in　thirty　or　forty　minutes；　as　soon　as　the　chopper　gets　here。　Buzz　me　if　anything　happens。〃　
　　　　〃Will　do。　See　ya。〃　Shaw　hung　up。
　　　　Werner　switched　buttons　on　the　phone　and　alerted　the　helicopter　crew。　Next　he　walked　across　the　building　to　the　classroom　on　the　far　side。　The　five　men　of　his　ready…response　group　were　lounging　about；　mostly　reading。　They'd　been　on　alert　status　for　several　days。　This　had　increased　their　training　routines　somewhat；　but　it　was　mainly　to　defend　against　boredom　that　came　from　waiting　for　something　that　probably　wouldn't　happen。　Nighttimes　were　devoted　to　reading　and　television。　The　Red　Sox　were　playing　the　Yankees　on　TV。　These　were　not　Brooks　Brothers　FBI　agents。　The　men　were　in　baggy　jumpsuits　lavishly　equipped　with　pockets。　In　addition　to　being　experienced　field　agents；　nearly　all　were　veterans　of　bat　or　peacetime　military　service；　and　each　man　was　a　match…quality　marksman　who　fired　several　boxes　of　ammunition　per　week。
　　　　〃Okay；　listen　up；〃　Werner　said。　〃They　want　an　advance　team　in　Hagerstown。　The　Chopper'll　be　here　in　half　an　hour。〃　
　　　　〃There's　a　severe　thunderstorm　warning；〃　one　objected　lightly。
　　　　〃So　take　your　airsick　pills；〃　Werner　advised。　
　　　　〃They　find　'em　yet？〃　another　asked。　
　　　　〃No；　but　people　are　getting　a　little　nervous。〃
　　　　〃Right。〃　The　questioner　was　a　long…rifleman。　His　custom…made　sniper　rifle　was　already　packed　in　a　foam…lined　case。　The　team's　gear　was　in　a　dozen　duffle　bags。　The　men　buttoned　their　shirts。　Some　headed　off　to　the　bathroom　for　a　preflight　pitstop。　None　were　especially　excited。　Their　job　involved　far　more　waiting　than　doing。　The　Hostage　Rescue　Team　had　been　in　existence　for　years；　but　it　had　yet　to　rescue　a　single　hostage。　Instead　its　members　were　mainly　used　as　a　special　SWAT　team；　and　they　had　earned　a　reputation　as　awesome　as　it　was　little　known；　except　within　the　law…enforcement　munity。

　　　　〃Wow；〃　Robby　said。　〃Here　it　es。　This　one's　going　to　be　a　beauty。〃　In　the　space　of　ten　minutes；　the　wind　had　changed　from　gentle　breezes　to　gusts　that　made　the　high…ceilinged　house　resonate。
　　　　〃It　was　a　dark　and　stormy　night；〃　Jack　chuckled。　He　went　into　the　kitchen。　Three　agents　were　making　sandwiches　to　take　out　to　the　men　by　the　road。　〃I　hope　you　guys　have　raincoats。〃　
　　　　〃We're　used　to　it；〃　one　assured　him。
　　　　〃At　least　it　will　be　a　warm　rain；〃　his　British　colleague　thought。　〃Thank　you　very　much　for　the　food　and　coffee。〃　The　first　rumble　of　distant　thunder　rolled　through　the　house。
　　　　〃Don't　stand　under　any　trees；〃　Jack　suggested。　〃Lightning　can　ruin　your　whole　day。〃　He　returned　to　the　dining　room。　Conversation　was　still　being　made　around　the　table。　Robby　was　back　to　discussing　flying。　The　current　war…story　was　about　catapults。
　　　　〃You　never　get　used　to　the　thrill；〃　he　was　saying。　〃In　a　couple　of　seconds　you　go　from　a　standstill　to　a　hundred　fifty　knots。〃　
　　　　〃And　if　something　goes　wrong？〃　the　Princess　asked。　
　　　　〃You　go　swimming；〃　Robby　answered。

　　　　〃Mr。　Avery；〃　the　hand…held　radio　squawked。　
　　　　〃Yeah；〃　he　answered。　
　　　　〃Washington's　on　the　line。〃
　　　　〃Okay；　I'll　be　there　in　a　minute。〃