tc.patriotgames-第50节

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em　in　the　past　year；　and　the　Army's　setting　up　a　new　system　to　keep　track　of　things。　Only　one　missile　has　turned　up。　They　　the　PIRA　　tried　to　shoot　down　a　British　Army　helicopter　a　few　months　back。　It　never　made　the　papers　over　here；　mainly　because　they　missed；　and　the　Brits　were　able　to　hush　it　up。
　　　　〃Anyway；〃　Shaw　went　on；　〃if　they　were　to　conduct　actual　terrorist　operations　over　here；　the　money　and　the　weapons　would　probably　dry　up　quite　a　bit。　The　PIRA　knows　that；　and　it　stands　to　reason　that　the　ULA　does；　too。〃
　　　　〃Okay；〃　Jack　said。　〃They've　never　operated　over　here。　But　Murray　asked　you　to　e　here　and　warn　me。　How　e？〃　
　　　　〃There　isn't　any　reason。　If　this　had　e　from　anyone　except　Dan；　I　wouldn't　even　be　here；　but　Dan's　a　very　experienced　agent；　and　he's　a　little　bit　concerned　that　maybe　you　should　be　made　aware　of　his　　it's　not　even　enough　to　be　a　suspicion。　Doctor　Ryan。　Call　it　insurance；　like　checking　the　tires　on　your　car　before　a　long　drive。〃　
　　　　〃Then　what　the　hell　are　you　telling　me？〃　Ryan　said　testily。
　　　　〃The　ULA　has　dropped　out　of　sight　　that's　not　saying　much；　of　course。　I　guess　it's　the　way　they　dropped　out　of　sight。　They　pulled　a　pretty　bold　operation；　and〃　　he　snapped　his　fingers　　〃disappeared　back　under　their　rock。〃　
　　　　〃Intel；〃　Jack　muttered。　
　　　　〃What's　that？〃　Shaw　asked。
　　　　〃It　happened　again。　The　thing　in　London　that　I　got　in　the　way　of；　it　resulted　from　very　good　intelligence　information。　This　did；　too；　didn't　it？　They　were　moving　Miller　secretly；　but　the　bad　guys　penetrated　Brit　security；　didn't　they？〃
　　　　〃I　honestly　don't　know　the　specifics；　but　I'd　say　you　probably　had　that　one　figured　out　pretty　well；〃　Shaw　conceded。
　　　　Jack　picked　up　a　pencil　in　his　left　hand　and　started　twirling　it。　〃Do　we　know　anything　about　what　we're　up　against　here？〃　
　　　　〃They're　professionals。　That's　bad　news　for　the　Brits　and　the　RUC；　of　course；　but　it's　good　news　for　you。〃　
　　　　〃How's　that？〃　Robby　asked。
　　　　〃Their　disagreement　with　Doctor　Ryan　here　is　more　or　less　a　'personal'　matter。　To　take　action　against　him　would　be　unprofessional。〃
　　　　〃In　other　words；〃　the　pilot　said；　〃when　you　tell　Jack　that　there's　nothing　for　him　to　really　worry　about；　you're　betting　on　the　'professional'　conduct　of　terrorists。〃
　　　　〃That's　one　way　to　put　it；　mander。　Another　way　is　to　say　that　we　have　long　experience　dealing　with　this　type　of　person。〃　
　　　　〃Uh…huh。〃　Robby　stabbed　out　his　cigar。　〃In　mathematics　that's　called　inductive　reasoning。　It's　a　conclusion　inferred；　rather　than　deduced　from　specific　evidence。　In　engineering　we　call　it　a　WAG。〃　
　　　　〃Wag？〃　Shaw　shook　his　head。
　　　　〃A　Wild…Ass　Guess。〃　Jackson　turned　to　stare　into　the　FBI　man's　eyes。　〃Like　most　operational　intelligence　reports　　you　can't　tell　the　good　ones　from　the　bad　ones　until　it's　too　damned　late。　Excuse　me；　Mr。　Shaw；　I'm　afraid　that　we　operators　aren't　always　impressed　with　the　stuff　we　get　from　the　intelligence　munity。〃
　　　　〃I　knew　it　was　a　mistake　to　e　here；〃　Shaw　observed。　〃Look；　Dan　told　me　over　the　phone　that　he　doesn't　have　a　single　piece　of　evidence　to　suggest　that　there　is　any　chance　something　unusual　will　happen。　I've　spent　the　last　couple　of　days　going　over　what　we　have　on　this　outfit；　and　there　just　isn't　any　real　evidence。　He's　responding　to　instinct。　When　you're　a　cop；　you　learn　to　do　that。〃
　　　　Robby　nodded　at　that　one。　Pilots　trust　their　instinct；　too。　Now；　his　were　telling　him　something。
　　　　〃So；〃　Jack　leaned　back。　〃What　should　I　do？〃　
　　　　〃The　best　defense　against　terrorists　　what　the　security　schools　teach　business　executives；　for　example　　is　to　avoid　patterns。　Take　a　slightly　different　route　to　work　every　day。　Alter　your　time　of　departure　somewhat。　When　you　drive　in；　keep　an　eye　on　the　mirror。　If　you　see　the　same　vehicle　three　or　more　days　in　a　row；　take　the　tag　number　and　call　me。　I'll　be　glad　to　have　it　run　through　the　puter　　no　big　deal。　It's　probably　nothing　to　be　worried　about；　just　be　a　little　bit　more　alert。　With　luck；　in　a　few　days　or　weeks　we'll　be　able　to　call　you　and　tell　you　to　forget　the　whole　thing。　What　I　am　almost　certainly　doing　is　alarming　you　unnecessarily；　but　you　know　the　rule　about　how　it's　better　to　be　safe　than　sorry；　right？〃　
　　　　〃And　if　you　get　any　information　the　other　way？〃　Jack　asked。
　　　　〃I'll　be　on　the　phone　to　you　five　minutes　later。　The　Bureau　doesn't　like　the　idea　of　having　terrorists　operate　here。　We　work　damned　hard　to　keep　it　from　happening；　and　we've　been　very　effective　so　far。〃　
　　　　〃How　much　of　that　is　luck？〃　Robby　asked。
　　　　〃Not　as　much　as　you　think；〃　Shaw　replied。　〃Well；　Doctor　Ryan；　I'm　really　sorry　to　have　worried　you　about　what　is　probably　nothing　at　all。　Here's　my　card。　If　there　is　anything　we　can　do　for　you；　don't　hesitate　to　call　me。〃
　　　　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Shaw。〃　Jack　took　the　card　and　watched　the　man　leave。　He　was　silent　for　a　few　seconds。　Then　he　flipped　open　his　phone　list　and　dialed　011…44…1…499…9000。　It　took　a　few　seconds　for　the　overseas　call　to　get　through。
　　　　〃American　Embassy；〃　the　switchboard　operator　answered　after　the　first　ring。
　　　　〃Legal　Attaché；　please。〃
　　　　〃Thank　you。　Wait；　please。〃　Jack　waited。　The　operator　was　back　in　fifteen　seconds。　〃No　answer。　Mr。　Murray　has　gone　home　for　the　day　　no；　excuse　me；　he's　out　of　town　for　the　remainder　of　the　week。　Can　I　take　a　message？〃
　　　　Jack　frowned　for　a　moment。　〃No；　thank　you。　I'll　call　back　next　week。〃
　　　　Robby　watched　his　friend　hang　up。　Jack　drummed　his　fingers　on　the　phone　and　again　remembered　what　Scan　Miller's　face　had　looked　like。　He's　three　thousand　miles　away。　Jack；　Ryan　told　himself。　〃Maybe；〃　he　breathed　aloud。　
　　　　〃Huh？〃　
　　　　〃I　never　told　you　about　the　one　I　。　。　。　captured；　I　guess。〃　
　　　　〃The　one　they　sprung？　The　one　we　saw　on　TV？〃　
　　　　〃Rob；　you　ever　seen　　how　do　I　say　it？　You　ever　see　somebody　that　you're　just　automatically　afraid　of？〃
　　　　〃I　think　I　know　what　you　mean；〃　Robby　said　to　avoid　the　question。　Jackson　didn't　know　how　to　answer　that。　As　a　pilot；　he'd　known　fear　often　enough；　but　always　there　was　training　and　experience　to　deal　with　it。　There　was　no　man　in　the　world　he'd　ever　been　afraid　of。
　　　　〃At　the　trial；　I　looked　at　him；　and　I　just　knew　that　〃　
　　　　〃He's　a　terrorist；　and　he　kills　people。　That　would　bother　me；　too。〃　Jackson　stood　up　and　looked　out　the　window。　〃Jesus；　and　they　call　'em　professionals！　I'm　a　professional。　I　have　a　code　of　conduct；　I　train；　I　practice；　I　adhere　to　standards　and　rules。〃　
　　　　〃They're　real　good　at　what　they　do；〃　Jack　said　quietly。　〃That's　what　makes　them　dangerous。　And　this　ULA　outfit　is　unpredictable。　That's　what　Dan　Murray　told　me。〃　Jackson　turned　away　from　the　window。　
　　　　〃Let's　go　see　somebody。〃　
　　　　〃Who？〃
　　　　〃Just　e　along；　boy。〃　Jackson's　voice　had　the　ring　of　mand　when　he　wanted　it　to。　He　set　his　white　officer's　cap　on　his　head　just　so。
　　　　They　took　the　stairs　down　and　walked　east；　past　the　chapel　and　Bancroft　Hall's　massive；　prison…like　bulk。　Ryan　liked　the　Academy　campus　except　for　that。　He　supposed　it　was　necessary　for　all　the　mids　to　experience　the　corporate　identity　of　military　life；　but　Jack　would　not　have　cared　to　live　that　way　as　a　college　student。　The　odd　mid　snapped　a　salute　at　Robby；　who　returned　each　with　panache　as　he　proceeded　in　total　silence　with　Jack　trying　to　keep　up。　Ryan　could　almost　hear　the　thoughts　whirring　through　the　aviator's　head。　It　took　five　minutes　to　reach　the　new　LeJeune　Annex　across　from　the　Halsey　field　house。
　　　　The　large　glass　and　marble　edifice　contrasted　with　Bancroft's　stolid　gray　stone。　The　United　States　Naval　Academy　was　a　government　plex；　and　hence　exempt　from　the　normal　standards　of　architectural　good　taste。　They　entered　the　ground　floor　past　a　gaggle　of　midshipmen　in　jogging　suits；　and　Robby　led　him　down　a　staircase　into　the　basement。　Jack　had　never　been　here　before。　They　ended　up　in　a　dimly　lit　corridor　whose　block　walls　led　to　a　dead　end。　Ryan　imagined　he　heard　the　crack　of　small…bore　pistol　fire；　and　it　was　confirmed　when　Jackson　opened　a　heavy　steel　door　to　the　Academy's　new　pistol　range。　They　saw　a　lone　figure　standing　in　the　center　lane；　a　。22　automatic　steady　in　his　extended　right　hand。
　　　　Sergeant　Major　Noah　Breckenridge　was　the　image　of　the　Marine　nonmissioned　officer。　Six…three；　the　only　fat　on　his　two…hundred…pound　frame　was　in　the　hot　dogs　he'd　had　for　lunch　in　the　adjacent　Dalgren　Hall。　He　was　wearing　a　short…sleeved　khaki　shirt。　Ryan　had　seen　but　never　met　him；　though　Breckenridge's　reputation　was　well　known。　In　twenty…eight　years　as　a　Marine；　he　had　been　everywhere　a　Marine　can　go；　done　everything　a　Marine　can　do。　His　〃salad　bar〃　of　decorations　covered　five　even　rows；　topmost　among　them　the　Navy　Cross；　which　he'd　won　while　a　sniper　in　Vietnam；　part　of　1st　Force　Recon。　Beneath　the　ribbons　were　his　marksmanship　medals　　〃shooting　iron〃　　the　least　of　which　was　a　〃Master〃　rating。　Breckenridge　was　known　for　his　weapons　proficiency。　Every　year　he　went　to　the　national　championships　at　Camp　Perry；　Ohio；　and　in　two　of　the　past　five　years　he　had　won　the　President's　Cup　for　his　mastery　of　the　。45　Colt　automatic。　His　shoes　were　so　shiny　that　one　could　determine　only　with　difficulty　that　the　underlying　leather　was　actually　black。　His　brass　shone　like　stainless　steel；　and　his　hair　was　cut　so　c