tc.patriotgames-第66节

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arm　up　for　a　minute　while　she　buckled　her　seat　belt　and　slipped　off　the　parking　brake。　The　throaty　rumble　of　the　engine　echoed　down　the　concrete　walls　of　the　parking　garage。　When　the　temperature　needle　started　to　move；　she　shifted　into　reverse。　A　moment　later　she　dropped　the　gear　lever　into　first　and　moved　toward　Broadway。　She　checked　the　clock　on　the　dashboard　and　winced　　worse；　she　had　to　make　a　stop　at　the　store　on　the　way　home。　Well；　she　did　have　her　911　to　play　catch…up　with。
　　　　〃The　target　is　moving；〃　a　voice　said　into　a　radio　three　levels　up。　The　message　was　relayed　by　telephone　to　Alex's　safehouse；　then　by　radio　again。

　　　　〃About　bloody　time；〃　Miller　growled　a　few　minutes　later。　〃Why　the　hell　is　she　late？〃　The　last　hour　had　been　infuriating　for　bin。　First　thirty　minutes　of　waiting　for　her　to　be　on　time；　then　another　thirty　minutes　while　she　wasn't。　He　told　himself　to　relax。　She　had　to　be　at　the　day…care　center　to　pick　up　the　kid。　
　　　　〃She's　a　doc。　It　happens；　man；〃　Alex　said。　〃Let's　roll。〃　
　　　　The　pickup　car　led　off　first；　followed　by　the　van。　The　Ford　would　be　at　the　7…Eleven　across　from　Giant　Steps　in　exactly　thirty　minutes。

　　　　〃He　must　be　waiting　for　somebody　pretty；〃　Riggs　said　when　he　got　back　into　the　guard　shack。
　　　　〃Still　there？〃　Cummings　was　surprised。　Three　weeks　before；　Breckenridge　had　briefed　the　guard　force　about　the　possible　threat　to　Dr。　Ryan。　Cummings　knew　that　the　history　teacher　always　went　out　this　gate　　he　was　late　today；　though。　The　Sergeant　could　see　that　the　light　in　his　office　was　still　on。　Though　the　duty　here　was　dull；　Cummings　was　serious　about　it。　Three　months　in　Beirut　had　taught　him　everything　he　would　ever　need　to　know　about　that。　He　walked　outside　and　took　a　place　on　the　other　side　of　the　road。
　　　　Cummings　watched　the　cars　leaving。　Mostly　they　were　driven　by　civilians；　but　those　driven　by　naval　officers　got　a　regulation　Marine　salute。　The　wind　only　got　colder。　He　wore　a　sweater　under　his　blouse。　This　kept　his　torso　warm；　but　the　white　kid　gloves　that　went　with　the　dress…blue　uniform　were　the　next　thing　to　useless。　He　made　a　great　show　of　clapping　his　hands　together　as　he　turned　around　periodically。　He　never　stared　at　the　apartment　building；　never　acted　as　though　he　knew　anybody　were　there。　It　was　getting　dark　now；　and　it　wasn't　all　that　easy　to　see　him　anyway。　But　somebody　was　there。

　　　　〃That　was　fast；〃　the　man　in　the　pickup　car　said。　He　checked　his　watch。　She'd　just　knocked　five　minutes　off　her　fastest　time。　Damn；　he　thought；　must　be　nice　to　have　one　of　those　little　Porsches。　He　checked　the　tag：　CR…SRGN。　Yep；　that　was　the　one。　He　grabbed　the　radio。
　　　　〃Hi；　Mom；　I'm　home；〃　he　said。
　　　　〃It's　about　time；〃　a　male　voice　answered。　The　van　was　half　a　mile　away；　sitting　on　Joyce　Lane；　west　of　Ritchie　Highway。
　　　　He　saw　the　lady　e　out　of　the　day…care　center　less　than　two　minutes　later。　She　was　in　a　hurry。　
　　　　〃Rolling。〃　
　　　　〃Okay；〃　came　the　answer。

　　　　〃e　on；　Sally；　we're　late。　Buckle　up。〃　Cathy　Ryan　hated　to　be　late。　She　restarted　the　engine。　She　hadn't　been　this　late　in　over　a　month；　but　she　could　still　make　it　home　before　Jack　if　she　hustled。
　　　　The　rush　hour　was　under　way　in　earnest；　but　the　Porsche　was　small；　fast；　and　agile。　In　a　minute　from　sitting　in　the　parking　lot　she　was　doing　sixty…five；　weaving　through　traffic　like　a　race　driver　at　Daytona。

　　　　For　all　their　preparation；　Alex　almost　missed　her。　An　eighteen…wheeler　was　laboring　up　the　hill　in　the　right　lane　when　the　distinctive　shape　of　the　Porsche　appeared　next　to　it。　Alex　floored　the　van　and　darted　out　onto　the　road；　causing　the　semi　to　jam　his　brakes　and　horn　at　the　same　time。　Alex　didn't　look　back。　Miller　got　out　of　the　right…front　seat　and　went　back　to　the　window　on　the　sliding　door。
　　　　〃Whooee；　this　lady's　in　a　hurry　tonight！〃　
　　　　〃Can　you　catch　her？〃　Miller　asked。　
　　　　Alex　just　smiled。　〃Watch。〃

　　　　〃Damn；　look　at　that　Porsche！〃　Trooper　First　Class　Sam　Waverly　was　driving　J…30；　a　State　Police　car　ing　off　an　afternoon　of　pursuit…radar　work　on　U。S。　Route　50。　He　and　Larry　Fontana　of　J…19　were　heading　back　to　the　Annapolis　police　barracks　off　Rowe　Boulevard　after　a　long　day's　work　when　they　saw　the　green　sports　car　take　the　entrance　ramp　off　Ritchie　Highway。　Both　troopers　were　driving　about　sixty…five　miles　per　hour；　a　privilege　that　accrued　only　to　police　officers。　Their　cars　were　unmarked。　This　made　them　and　their　radar　guns　impossible　to　spot　until　it　was　too　late。　They　usually　worked　in　pairs；　and　took　turns；　with　one　working　his　radar　gun　and　the　other　a　quarter　mile　down　the　road　to　wave　the　speeders　over　for　their　tickets。
　　　　〃Another　one！〃　Fontana　said　over　the　radio。　A　van　swerved　into　the　highway's　left　lane；　forcing　somebody　in　a　Pontiac　to　jam　on　his　brakes。　〃Let's　get　'em。〃　They　were　both　young　officers　and　while；　contrary　to　legend；　the　State　Police　didn't　assign　ticket　quotas　to　its　officers；　everyone　knew　that　one　sure　way　to　promotion　was　to　write　a　lot　of　them。　It　also　made　the　roads　safer；　and　that　was　their　mission　as　state　troopers。　Neither　officer　really　enjoyed　giving　out　traffic　citations；　but　they　enjoyed　responding　to　major　accidents　far　less。　
　　　　〃Okay；　I　got　the　Porsche。〃
　　　　〃You　get　all　the　fun；〃　Fontana　noted。　He'd　gotten　a　quick　look　at　the　driver。
　　　　It　was　a　lot　harder　than　one　might　imagine。　First　they　had　to　clock　the　speeding　vehicles　to　establish　how　far　over　the　limit　they　were　going　　the　greater　the　speed；　the　greater　the　fine；　of　course　　then　they　had　to　close　and　switch　on　their　lights　to　pull　them　over。　Both　subject　vehicles　were　two　hundred　yards　ahead　of　the　police　cruisers　now。

　　　　Cathy　checked　her　clock　again。　She'd　managed　to　cut　nearly　ten　minutes　off　her　trip　time。　Next　she　checked　her　rearview　mirror　for　a　police　car。　She　didn't　want　to　get　a　ticket。　There　was　nothing　that　looked　like　a　cop　car；　only　ordinary　cars　and　trucks。　She　had　to　slow　as　the　traffic　became　congested　approaching　the　Severn　River　bridge。　She　debated　getting　over　into　the　left　lane；　but　decided　against　it。　Sometimes　it　was　hard　to　get　back　into　the　right　lane　in　time　to　take　the　Route　2　exit。　Beside　her；　Sally　was　craning　her　neck　to　see　over　the　dash；　as　usual；　and　playing　with　the　seatbelt　buckle。　Cathy　didn't　say　anything　this　time；　but　concentrated　on　the　traffic　as　she　eased　off　the　pedal。

　　　　Miller　slipped　the　door　latch　and　moved　the　door　an　inch　backward。　Another　man　took　hold　of　the　door　as　he　knelt　and　thumbed　the　safety　forward　on　his　weapon。

　　　　He　couldn't　get　her　for　speeding　now。　Trooper　Waverly　noted　sourly。　She'd　slowed　before　he　could　establish　her　speed。　He　was　a　hundred　yards　back。　Fontana　could；　however；　ticket　the　van　for　improper　lane　changing；　and　one　out　of　two　wasn't　bad。　Waverly　checked　his　mirror。　J…19　was　catching　up；　about　to　pull　even　with　his　J…30。　There　was　something　odd　about　the　blue　van；　he　saw　。　。　。　like　the　side　door　wasn't　quite　right。

　　　　〃Now！〃　Alex　called。
　　　　Cathy　Ryan　noted　that　a　van　was　pulling　up　on　her　left　side。　She　took　a　casual　look　in　time　to　see　the　van's　door　slide　back。　There　was　a　man　kneeling；　holding　something。　There　came　a　chilling　moment　of　realization。　She　stomped　her　foot　on　the　brake　a　fraction　of　a　second　before　she　saw　the　white　flash。

　　　　〃What！〃　Waverly　saw　a　foot…long　tongue　of　flame　spit　out　from　the　side　of　the　van。　The　windshield　of　the　Porsche　went　cloudy　and　the　car　swerved　sideways；　straightened　out；　then　slammed　into　the　bridge's　concrete　work　at　over　fifty　miles　per　hour。　Instantly　cars　in　both　lanes　slammed　on　their　brakes。　The　van　kept　going。
　　　　〃Larry；　shots　fired　　shots　fired　from　the　van。　The　Porsche　was　hit！〃　Waverly　flipped　on　his　lights　and　stood　on　his　brakes。　The　police　car　skidded　right　and　nearly　slid　sideways　into　the　wrecked　Porsche。　〃Get　the　van；　get　the　van！〃
　　　　〃I'm　on　him；〃　Fontana　replied。　He　suddenly　realized　that　the　gout　of　flame　he'd　seen　could　only　mean　some　kind　of　machine　gun。　〃Holy　shit；〃　he　said　to　himself。
　　　　Waverly　returned　his　attention　to　the　Porsche。　Steam　poured　from　the　rear　engine　partment。　〃J…30；　Annapolis；　officer　reports　shots　fired　　looked　like　automatic　weapons　fire　　and　a　PI　accident　westbound　Route　50　on　Severn　River　bridge。　Appears　to　be　serious　PI。　J…19　in　pursuit　of　vehicle　2。　Stand　by。〃　
　　　　〃Standing　by；〃　the　dispatcher　acknowledged。　What　the　hell　。　。　。　
　　　　Waverly　grabbed　his　fire　extinguisher　and　ran　the　fifteen　feet　to　the　wreck。　Glass　and　metal　were　scattered　as　far　as　he　could　see。　The　engine；　thank　God；　wasn't　on　fire。　He　checked　the　passenger　partment　next。
　　　　〃Oh；　Jesus！〃　He　ran　back　to　his　car。　〃J…30；　Annapolis。　Call　fireboard；　officer　requests　helicopter　response。　Serious　PI；　two　victims；　a　white　female　adult　and　a　white　female　child；　repeat　we　have　a　serious　PI　accident　westbound　Route　50　east　side　of　Severn　River　bridge。　Officer　requests　helicopter　response。〃　
　　　　〃J…19；　Annapolis；〃　Fontana　called　in　next。　〃I　am　in　pursuit　of　a　dark　van；　with　handicap　tag　number　Henry　Six…Seven…Seven…Two。　I　am　westbound　on　Route　50　just　west　of　the　Severn　River　bridge。　Shots　fired　from　this　vehicle。　Officer　requests　assistance；〃　he　said　coolly。　He　decided　against　turning　his　lights　on　for　the　moment。　Holy　shit　。　。　。