tc.patriotgames-第92节

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　　　　〃I　think　not；〃　McKenney　said。　〃This　is　the　worst…case　expectation。〃
　　　　〃Helicopters；〃　Miller　said。　〃They　nearly　did　for　us　the　last　time。　No　real　problem　if　we're　prepared　for　it；　but　we　must　be　prepared。〃
　　　　〃Very　well；〃　O'Donnell　said。　〃And　the　second　part　of　the　operation？〃
　　　　〃Obviously　we　need　to　know　where　all　the　targets　will　be；〃　McKenney　said。　〃When　do　you　want　me　to　activate　our　people？〃　On　orders；　the　intelligence　chief's　penetration　agents　had　been　quiescent　for　some　weeks。
　　　　〃Not　just　yet；〃　the　mander　replied　thoughtfully。　〃Again　a　question　of　timing。　Sean？〃
　　　　〃I　think　we　should　wait　until　the　mission　is　fully　acplished　before　moving。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　it　proved　to　be　a　good　idea　the　last　time；〃　the　mander　agreed。　〃How　many　people　are　needed　for　your　operation？〃
　　　　〃No　less　than　fifteen。　I　think　we　can　depend　on　Alex　for　three　trained　men；　himself　included。　More　than　that　　no；　we　should　limit　his　participation　as　much　as　possible。〃　
　　　　〃Agreed；〃　McKenney　said。　
　　　　〃And　training？〃　O'Donnell　asked。　
　　　　〃The　most　we've　ever　done。〃　
　　　　〃To　start　when？〃
　　　　〃A　month　beforehand；〃　Miller　answered。　〃Any　more　time　would　be　a　waste　of　resources。　For　the　moment　I　have　quite　a　lot　of　work　to　do。〃

　　　　〃So　here　are　the　plans；〃　Murray　said。　〃You　can　either　let　them　stay　at　your　embassy　or　we'll　put　them　in　Blair　House；　right　across　the　street　from　the　President。〃
　　　　〃With　all　due　respect　to　your　Secret　Service　chaps　〃　The　head　of　the　Diplomatic　Protection　Group　didn't　have　to　go　on。　Their　safety　was　his　responsibility　and　he　wouldn't　trust　it　to　foreigners　any　more　than　he　had　to。
　　　　〃Yeah；　I　understand。　They'll　get　a　full　security　detail　from　the　Secret　Service　plus　a　couple　of　FBI　liaison　people　and　the　usual　assistance　from　the　local　police。　Finally　we'll　have　two　HRT　groups　on　alert　the　whole　time　they're　over；　one　in　D。C。；　and　a　backup　team　at　Quantico。〃　
　　　　〃How　many　people　know？〃　Ashley　asked。
　　　　〃The　Secret　Service　and　Bureau　people　are　already　fully　briefed。　When　your　advance　men　go　over；　they　ought　to　have　most　of　the　events　scouted　for　you　already。　The　local　cops　will　not　be　notified　until　they　have　to　know。〃
　　　　〃You　said　most　of　the　locations　have　been　scouted；　but　not　all？〃　Owens　asked。
　　　　〃Do　you　want　us　to　check　out　the　unannounced　points　this　early；　too？〃
　　　　〃No。〃　The　man　from　DPG　shook　his　head。　〃It's　bad　enough　that　the　public　functions　have　to　be　exposed　this　early。　It's　still　not　official　that　they're　going；　you　know。　The　element　of　surprise　is　our　best　defense。〃
　　　　Owens　looked　at　his　colleague；　but　didn't　react。　The　head　of　the　DPG　was　on　his　suspects　list；　and　his　orders　were　not　to　allow　anyone　to　know　the　details　of　his　investigation。　Owens　thought　him　to　be　in　the　clear；　but　his　detectives　had　discovered　a　few　irregularities　in　the　man's　personal　life　that　had　somehow　gotten　past　all　the　previous　security　screenings。　Until　it　was　certain　that　he　was　not　a　possible　blackmail　risk；　he　would　not　be　allowed　to　know　that　some　possible　suspects　had　already　seen　the　itinerary。　The　mander　of　C…13　gave　Murray　an　ironic　look。
　　　　〃I　think　you're　overdoing　this；　gentlemen；　but　that's　your　business；〃　the　FBI　man　said　as　he　stood。　〃Your　people　are　flying　over　tomorrow？〃　
　　　　〃That's　right。〃
　　　　〃Okay；　Chuck　Avery　of　the　Secret　Service　will　meet　your　people　at　Dulles。　Tell　them　not　to　be　bashful　about　asking　for　things。　You　will　have　our　total　cooperation。〃　He　watched　them　leave。　Five　minutes　later　Owens　was　back。　
　　　　〃What　gives；　Jimmy？〃　Murray　wasn't　surprised。
　　　　〃What　further　progress　have　you　made　on　the　chaps　who　attacked　Ryan？〃
　　　　〃Not　a　thing　for　the　past　two　weeks；〃　Murray　admitted。　〃You？〃
　　　　〃We　have　a　possible　link　　let　me　be　precise；　we　suspect　that　there　might　be　a　possible　link。〃
　　　　The　FBI　man　grinned。　〃Yeah；　I　know　what　that's　like。　Who　is　it？〃　
　　　　〃Geoffrey　Watkins。〃　That　got　a　reaction。
　　　　〃The　foreign…service　guy？　Damn！　Anybody　else　on　the　list　that　I　know？〃
　　　　〃The　chap　you　were　just　talking　to。　Ashley's　people　discovered　that　he's　not　entirely　faithful　to　his　wife。〃
　　　　〃Boys　or　girls？〃　Murray　took　a　cue　from　the　way　Owens　had　said　that。　〃You　mean　that　he　doesn't　know；　Jimmy？〃　
　　　　〃He　doesn't　know　that　the　itinerary　has　been　leaked；　possibly　to　the　wrong　people。　Watkins　is　among　them；　but　so　is　our　DPG　friend。〃
　　　　〃Oh；　that's　real　good！　The　plans　may　be　leaked；　and　you　can't　tell　the　head　of　the　security　detail　because　he　may　be　the　one　〃　
　　　　〃It's　most　unlikely；　but　we　must　allow　for　the　possibility。〃　
　　　　〃Call　the　trip　off；　Jimmy。　If　you　have　to　break　his　leg；　call　it　the　hell　off。〃
　　　　〃We　can't。　He　won't。　I　spoke　with　His　Highness　day　before　yesterday　and　told　him　the　problem。　He　refuses　to　allow　his　life　to　be　managed　that　way。〃　
　　　　〃Why　are　you　telling　me　this？〃　Murray　rolled　his　eyes。
　　　　〃I　must　tell　someone；　Dan。　If　I　can't　tell　my　chaps；　then　。　。　。　〃　Owens　waved　his　hands。
　　　　〃You　want　us　to　call　the　trip　off　for　you；　is　that　it？〃　Murray　demanded。　He　knew　that　Owens　couldn't　answer　that　one。　〃Let's　spell　this　one　out　nice　and　clear。　You　want　our　people　to　be　alert　to　the　chance　that　an　attack　is　a　serious　possibility；　and　that　one　of　the　good　guys　might　be　a　bad　guy。〃　
　　　　〃Correct。〃　
　　　　〃This　isn't　going　to　make　our　folks　real　happy。〃　
　　　　〃I'm　not　terribly　keen　on　it　myself；　Dan；〃　Owens　replied。
　　　　〃Well；　it　gives　Bill　Shaw　something　else　to　think　about。〃　Another　thought　struck　him。　〃Jimmy；　that's　one　expensive　piece　of　live　bait　you　have　dangling　on　the　hook。〃　
　　　　〃He　knows　that。　It's　our　job　to　keep　the　sharks　away；　isn't　it？〃　
　　　　Murray　shook　his　head。　The　ideal　solution　would　be　to　find　a　way　to　cancel　the　trip；　thereby　handing　the　problem　back　to　Owens　and　Ashley。　That　meant　involving　the　State　Department。　The　boys　at　Foggy　Bottom　would　spike　that　idea；　Murray　knew。　You　couldn't　un…invite　a　future　chief　of　state　because　the　FBI　and　Secret　Service　didn't　think　they　could　guarantee　his　safety　　the　reputation　of　American　law…enforcement　would　be　laid　open　to　ridicule；　they'd　say；　knowing　that　his　protection　wasn't　the　responsibility　of　the　people　at　State。
　　　　〃What　do　you　have　on　Watkins？〃　he　asked　after　a　moment。　Owens　outlined　his　〃evidence。〃　
　　　　〃That's　all？〃
　　　　〃We're　still　digging；　but　so　far　there　is　nothing　more　substantive。　It　could　all　be　coincidence；　of　course　。　。　。　〃
　　　　〃No；　it　sounds　to　me　like　you're　right。〃　Murray　didn't　believe　in　coincidences　either。　〃But　there's　nothing　that　I　could　take　to　a　grand　jury　at　home。　Have　you　thought　about　flushing　the　game？〃　
　　　　〃You　mean　running　through　a　change　in　the　schedule？　Yes；　we　have。　But　then　what？　We　could　do　that；　see　if　Watkins　goes　to　the　shop；　and　arrest　both　men　there　　if　we　can　confirm　that　what　is　happening　is　what　we　think　it　to　be。　Unfortunately；　that　means　throwing　away　the　only　link　we've　ever　had　with　the　ULA；　Dan。　At　the　moment；　we're　watching　Cooley　as　closely　as　we　dare。　He　is　still　traveling。　If　we　can　find　out　whom　he　is　contacting；　then　perhaps　we　can　wrap　up　the　entire　operation。　What　you　suggest　is　an　option；　but　not　the　best　one。　We　do　have　time；　you　know。　We　have　several　months　before　we　need　to　do　something　so　drastic　as　that。〃
　　　　Murray　nodded；　not　so　much　in　agreement　as　in　understanding。　The　possibility　of　finding　and　destroying　O'Donnell's　bunch　had　to　be　tantalizing　to　Scotland　Yard。　Bagging　Cooley　now　would　quash　that。　It　wasn't　something　that　they'd　simply　toss　off。　He　knew　that　the　Bureau　would　think　much　the　same　way。

　　　　〃Jack；　I　want　you　to　e　along　with　me；〃　Marty　Cantor　said。　〃No　questions。〃
　　　　〃What？〃　Ryan　asked；　and　got　an　accusing　look。　〃All　right；　all　right。〃　He　took　the　files　he　was　working　on　and　locked　them　in　his　file　cabinet；　then　grabbed　his　jacket。　Cantor　led　him　around　the　corner　to　the　elevator。　After　arriving　on　the　first　floor；　he　walked　rapidly　west　into　the　annex　behind　the　headquarters　building。　Once　in　the　new　structure；　they　passed　through　five　security　checkpoints。　This　was　an　all…time　record　for　Ryan；　and　he　wondered　if　Cantor　had　had　to　reprogram　the　pass…control　puter　to　get　him　into　this　building。　After　ten　minutes　he　was　on　the　fourth　floor　in　a　room　identified　only　by　its　number。
　　　　〃Jack；　this　is　Jean…Claude。　He's　one　of　our　French　colleagues。〃
　　　　Ryan　shook　hands　with　a　man　twenty　years　older　than　himself；　whose　face　was　the　embodiment　of　civilized　irony。　〃What　gives；　Marty？〃
　　　　〃Professor　Ryan；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃I　am　informed　that　you　are　the　man　we　must　thank。〃
　　　　〃What　for　〃　Ryan　stopped。　Uh…oh。　The　Frenchman　led　him　to　a　TV　monitor。
　　　　〃Jack；　you　never　saw　this；〃　Cantor　said　as　a　picture　formed　on　the　screen。　It　had　to　be　satellite　photography。　Ryan　knew　it　at　once　from　the　viewing　angle；　which　changed　very　slowly。
　　　　〃When？〃　he　asked。
　　　　〃Last　night；　our　time；　about　three　A。M。　local。〃　
　　　　〃Correct。〃　Jean…Claude　nodded；　his　eyes　locked　on　the　screen。
　　　　It　was　Camp　…20；　Ryan　thought。　The　one　that　belonged　to　Action…Directe。　The　spacing　of　the　huts　was　familiar。　The　infrared　picture　showed　that　three　of　the　huts　had　their　heaters　on。　The　brightness　of　the　heat　signals　told　him　that　ground　temperature　must　have　been　about　freezing。　South　of　the　camp；　beh