tc.patriotgames-第114节

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　　　　〃Mr。　Avery；〃　the　hand…held　radio　squawked。　
　　　　〃Yeah；〃　he　answered。　
　　　　〃Washington's　on　the　line。〃
　　　　〃Okay；　I'll　be　there　in　a　minute。〃　Avery　walked　down　the　driveway　toward　the　munications　van。　Longley；　the　leader　of　the　British　contingent；　tagged　along。　Both　had　left　their　raincoats　there　anyway；　and　they'd　need　them　in　a　few　minutes。　They　could　see　lightning　flashes　a　few　miles　away；　and　the　jagged　strokes　of　light　were　approaching　fast。
　　　　〃So　much　for　the　weather；〃　Longley　said。
　　　　〃I　was　hoping　it　would　miss　us。〃　The　wind　lashed　at　them　again；　blowing　dust　from　the　plowed　field　on　the　other　side　of　Falcon's　Nest　Road。　They　passed　the　two　men　carrying　a　covered　plate　of　sandwiches。　A　black　puppy　trotted　along　behind　in　the　hope　that　they'd　drop　one。
　　　　〃This　Ryan　fellow's　a　decent　chap；　isn't　he？〃　
　　　　〃He's　got　a　real　nice　kid。　You　can　tell　a　lot　about　a　man　from　his　kids；〃　Avery　thought　aloud。　They　got　to　the　van　just　as　the　first　sprinkles　started。　The　Secret　Service　agent　got　on　the　radiophone。
　　　　〃Avery　here。〃
　　　　〃Chuck；　this　is　Bill　Shaw　at　the　Bureau。　I　just　got　a　call　from　our　forensics　people　at　that　house　in　Howard　County。〃　
　　　　〃Okay。〃
　　　　At　the　other　end　of　the　connection；　Shaw　was　looking　at　a　map　and　frowning。　〃They　can't　find　any　prints。　Chuck。　They　have　guns；　they　have　ammo；　some　of　the　guns　were　being　cleaned；　but　no　prints。　Not　even　on　the　hamburger　wrappers。　Something　feels　bad。〃　
　　　　〃What　about　the　car　that　got　shot　up　in　western　Maryland？〃　
　　　　〃Nothing；　not　a　damned　thing。　Like　the　bad　guys　jumped　in　a　hole　and　pulled　it　in　behind　them。〃
　　　　That　was　all　Shaw　had　to　say。　Chuck　Avery　had　been　a　Secret　Service　agent　all　of　his　adult　life；　and　was　normally　on　the　Presidential　detail。　He　thought　exclusively　in　terms　of　threats。　This　was　an　inevitable　consequence　of　his　job。　He　guarded　people　whom　other　people　wanted　to　kill。　It　had　given　him　a　limited　and　somewhat　paranoid　outlook　on　life。　Avery's　mind　reviewed　his　threat　briefing。　The　enemy　here　is　extremely　clever　。　。　。　
　　　　〃Thanks　for　the　tip；　Bill。　We'll　keep　our　eyes　open。〃　Avery　got　into　his　coat　and　picked　up　his　radio。　〃Team　One；　this　is　Avery。　Heads　up。　Assemble　at　the　entrance。　We　have　a　possible　new　threat。〃　The　full　explanation　will　have　to　wait。　
　　　　〃What's　the　matter？〃　Longley　asked。
　　　　〃There's　no　real　evidence　at　the　house；　the　lab　people　haven't　found　any　prints。〃
　　　　〃They　couldn't　have　had　time　to　wipe　everything　before　they　left。〃　Longley　didn't　need　much　of　a　hint　either。　〃It　might　all　have　been　planned　to　〃
　　　　〃Exactly。　Let's　get　out　and　talk　to　the　troops。　First　thing；　I'm　going　to　get　the　perimeter　spread　out　some。　Then　I'll　call　for　more　police　backup。〃　The　rain　was　pelting　the　van　now。　〃I　guess　we're　all　going　to　get　wet。〃
　　　　〃I　want　two　more　people　at　the　house；〃　Longley　said。
　　　　〃Agreed；　but　let's　brief　the　people　first。〃　He　slid　the　door　open　and　both　men　went　back　up　the　driveway。
　　　　The　agents　on　perimeter　duty　came　together　where　the　driveway　met　the　road。　They　were　alert；　but　it　was　hard　to　see　with　the　wind…driven　rain　in　their　faces　and　the　stinging　dust　blowing　from　the　field　on　the　other　side　of　the　road。　Several　were　trying　to　finish　sandwiches。　One　agent　did　a　head　count　and　came　up　one　short。　He　sent　a　fellow　agent　to　fetch　the　man　whose　radio　was　evidently　out。　Ernie　tagged　along　with　him；　this　agent　had　given　him　half　a　sandwich。

　　　　〃You　want　to　retire　to　the　living　room？〃　Cathy　waved　at　the　seats　a　few　feet　away。　〃I'd　like　to　clear　these　dishes　away。〃　
　　　　〃I'll　do　it；　Cath；〃　Sissy　Jackson　said。　〃You　go　sit　down。〃　She　went　into　the　kitchen　and　got　the　apron。　Ryan　knew　for　certain　that　Cathy　had　warned　the　Jacksons　　Sissy　at　least；　since　she　was　wearing　what　on　further　inspection　seemed　an　expensive　dress。　Everyone　stood；　and　Robby　walked　off　to　the　bathroom　for　a　head　call。

　　　　〃Here　we　go；〃　Alex　said。　He　was　at　the　wheel　now。　〃All　ready？〃
　　　　〃Go！〃　O'Donnell　said。　Like　Alex；　he　wanted　to　be　out　in　front　with　his　troops。　〃Thank　God　for　the　weather！〃
　　　　〃Right；〃　Alex　agreed。　He　flipped　the　van's　headlights　to　high　beam。　He　saw　two　groups　of　agents；　standing　a　few　yards　apart。

　　　　The　security　force　saw　the　approaching　lights；　and；　being　trained　men；　they　kept　a　close　eye　on　it　despite　knowing　who　it　was　and　what　it　had　been　doing。　Thirty　yards　from　them　there　was　a　flash　and　a　bang。　Some　men　reached　instinctively　for　their　guns；　then　stopped　when　they　saw　that　the　vehicle's　left…front　tire　had　blown　and　was　fluttering　on　the　road　as　the　driver　struggled　to　get　the　truck　back　under　control。　It　stopped　right　in　front　of　the　driveway。　No　one　had　mented　on　the　ladders　before。　No　one　noticed　their　absence　now。　The　driver　got　out　and　looked　at　the　wheel。
　　　　〃Aw；　shit！〃
　　　　Two　hundred　yards　away；　Avery　saw　the　truck　sitting　on　the　road；　and　his　instincts　set　off　an　alarm。　He　started　running。
　　　　The　van's　door　slid　back；　revealing　four　men　with　automatic　weapons。
　　　　The　agents　a　few　feet　away　reacted　in　a　moment；　but　too　late。　Barely　had　the　door　moved　when　the　first　weapon　fired。　A　cylindrical　silencer　hung　on　the　muzzle；　which　muffled　the　noise；　but　not　the　tongue　of　white　flame　that　hovered　in　the　darkness；　and　five　men　were　down　in　the　first　second。　The　other　gunmen　had　already　joined　in；　and　the　first　group　of　agents　was　wiped　out　without　having　fired　a　single　return　shot。　The　terrorists　leaped　out　of　the　side　and　back　doors　of　the　van　and　engaged　the　second　group。　One　Secret　Service　agent　got　his　Uzi　up　and　fired　a　short　burst　that　killed　the　first　man　out　of　the　back　of　the　van；　but　the　man　behind　him　killed　the　agent　with　his　weapon。　Two　more　of　the　guards　were　now　dead；　and　the　other　four　of　the　group　dropped　to　the　ground　and　tried　to　return　fire。

　　　　〃What　the　hell　is　that？〃　Ryan　said。　The　sound　was　hard　to　distinguish　through　the　noise　of　the　rain　and　the　recurring　thunder。　Heads　throughout　the　room　turned。　There　was　a　British　security　officer　in　the　kitchen　and　two　Secret　Service　agents　on　the　deck　outside　the　room。　Their　heads　had　already　turned；　and　one　man　was　reaching　for　his　radio。

　　　　Avery's　service　revolver　was　out。　As　team　leader　he　didn't　bother　carrying　anything　but　his　Smith　&　Wesson　。357　Magnum。　His　other　hand　was　in　any　case　busy　with　his　radio。
　　　　〃Call　Washington；　we　are　under　attack！　We　need　backup　right　the　hell　now！　Unknown　gunmen　on　the　west　perimeter。　Officers　down；　officers　need　help！〃

　　　　Alex　reached　back　into　the　truck　and　pulled　out　an　RPG…7　rocket　launcher。　He　could　just　make　out　the　two　State　Police　cars　two　hundred　yards　down　the　road。　He　couldn't　see　the　cops；　but　they　had　to　be　there。　He　elevated　the　weapon　to　the　proper　mark　on　the　steel　sight　and　squeezed　the　trigger；　adding　yet　another　thundering　noise　to　the　flashing　sky。　The　round　fell　a　few　feet　short　of　the　target；　but　its　explosion　lanced　hot　fragments　through　one　gas　tank。　It　exploded；　bathing　both　cars　in　burning　fuel。　
　　　　〃Hot　damn！〃
　　　　Behind　him；　the　gunmen　had　spread　out　and　flanked　the　Secret　Service　officers。　Only　one　was　still　shooting　back。　Two　more　of　the　ULA　shooters　were　down；　Alex　saw；　but　the　rest　closed　in　on　the　agent　from　behind　and　finished　him　with　a　barrage　of　fire。
　　　　〃Oh；　God！〃　Avery　saw　it；　too。　He　and　Longley　looked　at　each　other　and　each　knew　what　the　other　thought。　They　won't　get　them；　not　while　I'm　alive。

　　　　〃Shaw。〃　The　radio…telephone　circuit　crackled　with　static。
　　　　〃We　are　under　attack。　We　have　officers　down；〃　the　wall　speaker　said。　〃Unknown　number　of　　it　sounds　like　a　fucking　war　out　there！　We　need　help　and　we　need　it　now。〃
　　　　〃Okay；　stand　by；　we're　working　on　it。〃　Shaw　gave　quick　orders　and　phone　lines　started　lighting　up。　The　first　calls　to　go　out　went　to　the　nearest　state　and　county　police　stations。　Next；　the　Hostage　Rescue　Team　group　on　alert　in　Washington　was　ordered　out。　Their　Chevy　Suburban　was　sitting　in　the　garage。　He　checked　the　wall　clock　and　called　Quantico　on　the　direct　line。　
　　　　〃The　chopper's　just　landing　now；〃　Gus　Werner　answered。　
　　　　〃Do　you　know　where　the　Ryan　house　is？〃　Shaw　asked。
　　　　〃Yeah；　it's　on　the　map。　That's　where　our　visitors　are　now；　right？〃　
　　　　〃It's　under　attack。　How　fast　can　you　get　there？〃　
　　　　〃What's　the　situation？〃　Werner　watched　his　men　out　the　window；　loading　their　gear　into　the　helicopter。
　　　　〃Unknown　　we　just　rolled　the　team　from　here；　but　you　may　be　the　first　ones　in。　The　munications　guy　just　called　in；　says　they're　under　attack；　officers　down。〃
　　　　〃If　there's　any　additional　information；　get　it　to　us。　We'll　be　up　in　two　minutes。〃　Werner　ran　outside　to　his　men。　He　had　to　shout　at　them　to　be　heard　under　the　turning　rotor；　then　ran　back　to　the　building；　where　the　watch　officers　were　ordered　to　summon　the　rest　of　the　team　to　the　HRT　headquarters。　By　the　time　he　got　back　in　the　chopper；　his　men　had　their　weapons　out　of　their　duffles。　Then　the　helicopter　lifted　off　into　the　approaching　storm。

　　　　Ryan　noted　the　flurry　of　activity　outside　as　the　British　officer　from　the　kitchen　ran　outside　and　conferred　briefly　with　the　Secret　Service　agents。　He　was　just　ing　back　inside　when　a　series　of　lightning　flashes　illuminated　the　deck。　One　of　the　agents　turned　and　broug