tc.patriotgames-第86节

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　　　　Miller　handed　over　a　passbook。　〃Numbered　account；　Bahamian　bank。　I　believe　you'll　find　the　amount　correct。〃　
　　　　Alex　pocketed　the　book。　〃That's　more　like　it。　Okay；　we　have　another　job。　I　hope　you　don't　expect　to　go　with　it　as　fast　as　before。〃　
　　　　〃We　have　several　months　to　plan　it；〃　Miller　replied。　
　　　　〃I'm　listening。〃　Alex　sat　through　ten　minutes　of　information。
　　　　〃Are　you　out　of　your　fucking　mind？〃　Dobbens　asked　when　he　was　finished。
　　　　〃How　hard　would　it　be　to　gather　the　information　we　need？〃　
　　　　〃That's　not　the　problem；　Sean。　The　problem　is　getting　your　people　in　and　out。　No　way　I　could　handle　that。〃
　　　　〃That　is　my　concern。〃
　　　　〃Bullshit！　If　my　people　are　involved；　it's　my　concern；　too。　If　that　Clark　turkey　broke　to　the　cops；　it　would　have　burned　a　safe…house　　and　me！〃　
　　　　〃But　he　didn't　break；　did　he？　That's　why　we　chose　him。〃　
　　　　〃Look；　what　you　do　with　your　people；　I　don't　give　a　rat's　ass。　What　happens　to　my　people；　I　do。　That　last　little　game　we　played　for　you　was　bush　league；　Sean。〃
　　　　Miller　figured　out　what　〃bush　league〃　meant　from　context。　〃The　operation　was　politically　sound；　and　you　know　it。　Perhaps　you've　forgotten　that　the　objective　is　always　political。　Politically；　the　operation　was　a　plete　success。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　need　you　to　tell　me　that！〃　Alex　snapped　back　in　his　best　intimidating　tone。　Miller　was　a　proud　little　twerp；　but　Alex　figured　he　could　pinch　his　head　off　with　one　good　squeeze。　〃You　lost　a　troop　because　you　were　playing　this　personal；　not　professional　　and　I　know　what　you're　thinking。　It　was　our　first　big　play；　right？　Well；　son；　I　think　we　proved　that　we　got　our　shit　together；　didn't　we？　And　I　warned　you　up　front　that　your　man　was　too　exposed。　If　you'd　listened　to　me；　you　wouldn't　have　a　man　on　the　inside。　I　know　your　background　is　pretty　impressive；　but　this　is　my　turf；　and　I　know　it。〃
　　　　Miller　knew　that　he　had　to　accept　that。　He　kept　his　face　impassive。　〃Alex；　if　we　were　in　any　way　displeased；　we　would　not　have　e　back　to　you。　Yes；　you　do　have　your　shit　together；〃　you　bloody　nigger；　he　didn't　say。　〃Now；　can　you　get　us　the　information　we　need？〃　
　　　　〃Sure；　for　the　right　price。　You　want　us　in　the　op？〃　
　　　　〃We　don't　know　yet；〃　Miller　replied　honestly。　Of　course　the　only　issue　here　is　money。　Bloody　Americans。
　　　　〃If　you　want　us　in；　I'm　part　of　the　planning。　Number　one；　I　want　to　know　how　you　get　in　and　out。　I　might　have　to　go　with　you。　If　you　shitcan　my　advice　this　time；　I　walk　and　I　take　my　people　with　me。〃
　　　　〃It's　a　little　early　to　be　certain；　but　what　we　hope　to　arrange　is　really　quite　simple　。　。　。　〃
　　　　〃You　think　you　can　set　that　up？〃　For　the　first　time　since　he'd　arrived；　Sean　had　Alex　nodding　approval。　〃Slick。　I'll　give　you　that。　It's　slick。　Now　let's　talk　price。〃
　　　　Sean　wrote　a　figure　on　a　piece　of　paper　and　handed　it　to　Alex。　〃Fair　enough？〃　People　interested　in　money　were　easy　to　impress。　
　　　　〃I　sure　would　like　an　account　at　your　bank；　brother。〃　
　　　　〃If　this　operation　es　off；　you　will。〃
　　　　〃You　mean　that？〃
　　　　Miller　nodded　emphatically。　〃Direct　access。　Training　facilities；　help　with　travel　documents；　the　lot。　Your　skill　in　helping　us　last　time　attracted　attention。　Our　friends　like　the　idea　of　an　active　revolutionary　cell　in　America。〃　If　they　really　want　to　do　business　with　you；　it's　their　problem。　〃Now；　how　quickly　can　you　get　the　information？〃　
　　　　〃End　of　the　week　good　enough？〃　
　　　　〃Can　you　do　it　that　fast　without　attracting　attention？〃　
　　　　〃Let　me　worry　about　that；〃　Alex　replied　with　a　smile。

　　　　〃Anything　new　on　your　end？〃　Owens　asked。
　　　　〃Not　much；〃　Murray　admitted。　〃We　have　plenty　of　forensic　evidence；　but　only　one　witness　who　got　a　clear　look　at　one　face；　and　she　can't　give　us　a　real　ID。〃　
　　　　〃The　local　help？〃
　　　　〃That's　who　we　almost　ID'd。　Nothing　yet。　Maybe　they've　learned　from　the　ULA。　No　manifesto；　no　announcement　claiming　credit　for　the　job。　The　people　we　have　inside　some　other　radical　groups　　that　is；　those　that　still　exist　　have　drawn　a　big　blank。　We're　still　working　on　it；　and　we　have　a　lot　of　money　out　on　the　street；　but　so　far　we　haven't　got　anything　to　show　for　it。〃　Murray　paused。　〃That'll　change。　Bill　Shaw　is　a　genius；　one　of　the　real　brains　we　have　in　the　Bureau。　They　switched　him　over　from　counterintelligence　to　terrorism　a　few　years　back；　and　he's　done　really　impressive　work。　What's　new　on　your　end？〃　
　　　　〃I　can't　go　into　specifics　yet；〃　Owens　said。　〃But　we　might　have　a　small　break。　We're　trying　to　decide　now　if　it's　real　or　not。　That's　the　good　news。　The　bad　is　that　His　Royal　Highness　is　traveling　to　America　this　ing　summer。　A　number　of　people　were　informed　of　his　itinerary；　including　six　on　our　list　of　possible　suspects。〃　
　　　　〃How　the　hell　did　you　let　that　happen；　Jimmy？〃　
　　　　〃No　one　asked　me；　Dan；〃　Owens　replied　sourly。　〃In　several　cases；　if　the　people　hadn't　been　informed　it　would　have　told　them　that　something　odd　was　happening　　you　can't　simply　stop　trusting　people；　can　you？　For　the　rest；　it　was　just　another　balls…up。　Some　secretary　put　out　the　plans　on　the　normal　list　without　consulting　the　security　officers。〃　This　wasn't　a　new　story　for　either　man。　There　was　always　someone　who　didn't　get　the　word。
　　　　〃Super。　So　call　it　off。　Let　him　get　the　flu　or　something　when　the　time　es；〃　Murray　suggested。
　　　　〃His　Highness　won't　do　that。　He's　bee　quite　adamant　on　the　subject。　He　won't　allow　a　terrorist　threat　to　affect　his　life　in　any　way。〃　
　　　　Murray　grunted。　〃You　gotta　admire　the　kid's　guts；　but　〃　
　　　　〃Quite　so；〃　Owens　agreed。　He　didn't　really　care　for　having　his　next　king　referred　to　as　〃the　kid；〃　but　he'd　long　since　gotten　used　to　the　American　way　of　expressing　things。　〃It　doesn't　make　our　job　any　easier。〃
　　　　〃How　firm　are　the　travel　plans？〃　Murray　asked；　getting　back　to　business。
　　　　〃Several　items　on　the　itinerary　are　tentative；　of　course；　but　most　are　set　in　stone。　Our　security　people　will　be　meeting　with　yours　in　Washington。　They're　flying　over　next　week。〃　
　　　　〃Well；　you　know　that　you'll　get　all　the　cooperation　you　want；　Secret　Service；　the　Bureau；　local　police；　everything。　We'll　take　good　care　of　him　for　you；〃　Murray　assured　him。　〃He　and　his　wife　are　pretty　popular　back　home。　Will　they　be　taking　the　baby　with　them？〃　
　　　　〃No。　We　were　able　to　prevail　on　him　about　that。〃　
　　　　〃Okay。　I'll　call　Washington　tomorrow　and　get　things　rolling。　What's　happening　with　our　friend　Ned　Clark？〃
　　　　〃Nothing　as　yet。　His　colleagues　are　evidently　giving　him　rather　a　bad　time；　but　he's　too　bloody　stupid　to　break。〃　
　　　　Murray　nodded。　He　knew　the　type。

　　　　Well；　they　wanted　me　to　take　off　early；　Ryan　thought。　He　decided　to　accept　an　invitation　to　a　lecture　at　Georgetown　University。　Unfortunately；　it　was　something　of　a　disappointment。　Professor　David　Hunter　was　Columbia's　enfant　terrible；　America's　ranking　authority　on　political　affairs　in　Eastern　Europe。　His　book　of　the　previous　year；　'Revolution　Postponed'；　had　been　a　penetrating　study　of　the　political　and　economic　problems　of　the　Soviet's　unsteady　empire；　and　Ryan；　like　others；　had　been　eager　to　hear　his　new　information　on　the　subject。　The　speech　had　turned　out　to　be　little　more　than　a　rehash　of　the　book；　with　the　rather　startling　suggestion　at　the　end　that　the　NATO　countries　should　be　more　aggressive　in　trying　to　separate　the　Soviet　Union　from　her　captives。　Ryan　considered　that　to　be　lunacy；　even　if　it　did　guarantee　lively　discussions　at　the　reception。
　　　　At　the　end　of　the　talk；　Ryan　moved　quickly　to　the　reception。　He'd　skipped　dinner　to　make　it　here　on　time。　There　was　a　wide　table　of　hors　d'oeuvres；　and　Jack　filled　his　plate　as　patiently　as　he　could　before　drifting　off　to　a　sedate　corner　by　the　elevators。　He　let　others　form　knots　of　conversation　around　Professor　Hunter。　On　the　whole；　it　was　nice　to　be　back　at　Georgetown；　if　only　for　a　few　hours。　The　〃Galleria〃　in　the　Intercultural　Center　was　quite　a　contrast　to　the　CIA　institutional　drab。　The　four…story　atrium　of　the　language　building　was　lined　with　the　glass　windows　of　offices；　and　a　pair　of　potted　trees　reached　toward　the　glass　roof。　The　plaza　outside　was　paved　with　bricks；　and　known　to　the　students　as　Red　Square。　To　the　west　was　the　old　quadrangle；　and　the　cemetery　where　rested　the　priests　who　had　taught　here　for　nearly　two　hundred　years。　It　was　a　thoroughly　civilized　setting；　except　for　the　discordant　shriek　of　jets　ing　out　of　National　Airport；　a　few　miles　downriver。　Someone　jostled　Ryan　just　as　he　was　finishing　his　snacks。
　　　　〃Excuse　me；　Doctor。〃　Ryan　turned　to　see　a　man　shorter　than　himself。　He　had　a　florid　plexion　and　was　dressed　in　a　cheap…looking　suit。　His　blue　eyes　seemed　to　sparkle　with　amusement。　His　voice　had　a　pronounced　accent。　〃Did　you　enjoy　the　lecture？〃　
　　　　〃It　was　interesting；〃　Ryan　said　diffidently。
　　　　〃So。　I　see　that　capitalists　can　lie　as　well　as　we　poor　socialists。〃　The　man　had　a　jolly；　overpowering　laugh；　but　Jack　decided　that　his　eyes　were　sparkling　with　something　other　than　amusement。　They　were　measuring　eyes；　playing　yet　another　variation　of　the　game　he'd　been　part　of　in　England。　Already　Ryan　disliked　him。　
　　　　〃Have　we　met？〃
　　　　〃Sergey　Platonov。〃　They　shook　hands　after　Ryan　set　his　plate　on　a　table。　〃I　am　Third　Secretary　of　the　Soviet　Embassy。　Perhaps　my　photograph　at　Langl