tc.redrabbit-第131部分

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　　　〃They　call　this　beer？〃　Sparrow　asked　after　his　first　sip。
　　　〃Better　than　American　canned　piss；〃　another　of　the　new　arrivals　thought　aloud。
　　　Jack　didn't　rise　to　the　bait。　Besides；　you　went　to　Italy　for　the　wine；　not　the　beer。
　　　〃What　do　we　know　about　Strokov？〃　Ryan　asked。
　　　〃They　faxed　me　the　police　file　on　him；〃　Sharp　reported。　〃Read　it　this　morning。　He's　five…eleven；　about　fifteen　stone。　Evidently；　he　likes　to　eat　too　much。　So；　not　an　athlete…certainly　not　a　sprinter。　Brown　hair；　fairly　thick。　Good　language　skills。　Speaks　accented　English；　but　reportedly　speaks　French　and　Italian　like　a　native。　Thought　to　be　an　expert　with　small　arms。　He's　been　in　the　business　twenty　years…age　forty…three　or　so。　Selected　for　the　special　DS　assassination　unit　about　fifteen　years　ago；　with　eight　kills　attributed　to　him；　possibly　more…we　don't　have　good　information　on　that。〃
　　　〃Delightful　chap；　sounds　like；〃　Sparrow　thought　aloud。　He　reached　for　one　of　the　photos。　〃Ought　not　to　be　difficult　to　spot。　Better　to　get　some　of　these　prints　reduced　to　pocket　size；　so　that　we　can　all　carry　them　with　us。〃
　　　〃Done；〃　Sharp　promised。　The　embassy　had　its　own　little　photo　lab；　mainly　for　his　use。
　　　Ryan　looked　around　the　table。　At　least　it　was　good　to　be　surrounded　by　professionals。　Given　the　chance　to　perform；　they　probably　wouldn't　blow　it…like　a　good　bunch　of　Marines。　It　was　not　all　that　much；　but　it　was　something。
　　　〃What　about　side　arms？〃　Ryan　asked　next。
　　　〃All　the　nine…millimeter　Brownings　we　need；〃　Tom　Sharp　assured　him。
　　　Ryan　wanted　to　ask　if　they　had　hollow…point　ammunition；　but　they　probably　just　had　military…issue　hardball。　That　Geneva　Convention　bullshit。　The　nine…millimeter　Parabellum　cartridge　was　thought　by　Europeans　to　be　powerful；　but　it　was　hardly　a　BB　pared　to　the　。45　Colt　with　which　he'd　been　trained。　So；　then；　why　did　he　own　a　Browning　Hi…Power？　Jack　asked　himself。　But　the　one　he　had　at　home　was　loaded　with　Federal　147…grain　hollow…points；　regarded　by　the　American　FBI　as　the　only　useful　bullet　to　shoot　out　of　the　thing；　good　both　for　penetration　and　for　expanding　to　the　diameter　of　a　dime　inside　the　target's　body；　to　make　him　bleed　out　in　a　hurry。
　　　〃He'd　better　be　bloody　close；〃　Mick　King　announced。　〃I　haven't　fired　one　of　the　things　in　years。〃　Which　reminded　Jack　that　England　did　not　have　the　gun　culture　America　has；　even　in　their　security　services。　James　Bond　was　someone　from　the　movies；　Ryan　had　to　remember。　Ryan　himself　was　probably　the　best　pistol　shot　in　the　room；　and　he　was　a　long　way　from　being　an　expert。　The　pistols　Sharp　would　hand　out　would　be　military…issue；　the　ones　with　invisible　sights　and　crummy　grips。　The　one　Ryan　owned　had　Pachmayr　grips　that　fit　his　hand　so　nicely　that　it　might　have　been　a　custom…made　glove。　Damn；　nothing　about　this　job　was　going　to　be　easy。
　　　〃Okay。　John；　you'll　be　atop　the　colonnade。　Find　out　how　you　get　there；　and　arrange　to　get　up　there　Wednesday　morning　early。〃
　　　〃Right。〃　He　had　press　credentials　to　make　that　easy。　〃I'll　recheck　the　timing　for　everything　as　well。〃
　　　〃Good；〃　Sharp　replied。　〃We'll　spend　the　afternoon　going　over　the　ground　more。　Look　for　things　we　may　have　overlooked。　I'm　thinking　we　put　one　man　over　on　the　side　street　to　try　and　spot　our　friend　Strokov　ing　in。　If　we　spot　him；　we　shadow　him　all　the　way　in。〃
　　　〃Not　stop　him　out　there？〃　Ryan　asked。
　　　〃Better　to　get　him　in　closer；〃　Sharp　thought　out　loud。　〃More　of　us；　less　chance　for　him　to　bolt。　If　we're　onto　him；　Jack；　he　won't　be　doing　anything　untoward；　will　he？　We'll　see　to　that。〃
　　　〃Will　he　be　that　predictable？〃　Jack　worried。
　　　〃He's　doubtless　been　here　already。　Indeed；　we　could　just　spot　him　today　or　tomorrow；　couldn't　we？〃
　　　〃I　wouldn't　bet　the　ranch　on　it；〃　Jack　shot　back。
　　　〃We　play　the　card　we　are　dealt；　Sir　John；〃　King　said。　〃And　hope　for　luck。〃
　　　There　was　no　arguing　with　that；　Ryan　realized。
　　　〃If　I　were　planning　this　operation；　I'd　be　trying　very　hard　to　keep　it　simple。　The　most　important　preparation　he'll　be　making　is　up　here。〃　Sharp　tapped　the　side　of　his　head。　〃He；　too；　will　be　somewhat　tense；　no　matter　how　experienced　he　is　in　this　business。　Yes；　he's　a　clever　bugger；　but　he　is　not　bloody　Superman。　The　key　to　his　success　is　surprise。　Well；　he　doesn't　really　have　that；　does　he？　And　blown　surprise　is　the　worst　nightmare　of　a　field　officer。　Lose　that　and　everything　es　apart　like　a　wrecked　watch。　Remember；　if　he　sees　one　thing　that　he　doesn't　like；　he　will　probably　just　walk　away　and　plan　to　e　back　again。　There　is　no　clock　on　this　mission　from　his　point　of　view。〃
　　　〃Think　so？〃　Ryan　wasn't　the　least　bit　sure　of　that。
　　　〃Yes；　I　do。　If　there　were；　from　an　operational　standpoint；　they　would　well　have　executed　the　mission　already；　and　the　Pope　would　already　be　chatting　directly　with　God。　According　to　what　I've　heard　from　London；　this　mission　has　been　in　planning　for　more　than　six　weeks。　So；　clearly　he's　taking　his　time。　I'll　be　very　surprised　if　it　happens　day　after　tomorrow；　but　we　must　act　as　though　it　will。〃
　　　〃I　wish　I　had　your　confidence；　man。〃
　　　〃Sir　John；　field　officers　think　and　act　like　field　officers；　whatever　their　nationality；〃　Sharp　said　with　confidence。　〃Our　mission　is　a　difficult　one；　yes；　but　we　speak　his　language；　as　it　were。　If　this　were　a　balls…out　mission；　it　would　have　been　done　already。　Agreed；　gentlemen？〃　he　asked；　and　got　nods　from　around　the　table；　except　from　the　American。
　　　〃What　if　we're　missing　something？〃　Ryan　wondered。
　　　〃That　is　a　possibility；〃　Sharp　admitted；　〃but　it's　a　possibility　we　have　to　both　live　with　and　discount。　We　have　only　the　information　we　have；　and　we　must　design　our　plan　around　that。〃
　　　〃Not　much　choice　for　us；　is　it；　Sir　John？〃　Sparrow　asked。　〃We　have　only　what　we　have。〃
　　　〃True；〃　Ryan　admitted；　rather　miserably。　There　had　e　the　sudden　thought　that　other　things　might　be　happening　as　well。　What　if　there　were　a　diversion？　What　if　somebody　tossed　firecrackers…to　draw　eyes　toward　the　noise　and　away　from　the　real　action？　That；　he　suddenly　thought；　was　a　real　possibility。
　　　Damn。
　　　〃What's　this　about　Ryan？〃　Ritter　asked；　storming　into　Judge　Moore's　office。
　　　〃Basil　thought　that　since　BEATRIX　was　a　CIA　operation　from　the　get…go；　why　not　send　one　of　our　officers　down　there　to　take　a　look　at　things？　I　don't　see　that　it　can　hurt　anything；〃　Moore　told　his　DDO。
　　　〃Who　the　hell　does　Ryan　think　he's　working　for？〃
　　　〃Bob；　why　don't　you　just　settle　down？　What　the　hell　can　he　do　to　hurt　things？〃
　　　〃Damn　it；　Arthur…〃
　　　〃Settle　down；　Robert；〃　Moore　shot　back　in　the　voice　of　a　judge　used　to　having　his　own　way　on　everything　from　the　weather　on　down。
　　　〃Arthur；〃　Ritter　said；　calming　down　a　whisker；　〃it's　not　a　place　for　him。〃
　　　〃I　see　no　reason　to　object；　Bob。　None　of　us　think　anything's　going　to　happen　anyway；　do　we？〃
　　　〃Well。。。　no；　I　suppose　not；〃　the　DDO　admitted。
　　　〃So　he's　just　broadening　his　horizons；　and　from　what　he　learns；　he'll　be　a　better　analyst；　won't　he？〃
　　　〃Maybe　so；　but　I　don't　like　having　some　desk…sitter　playing　field　spook。　He　isn't　trained　for　this。〃
　　　〃Bob；　he　used　to　be　a　Marine；〃　Moore　reminded　him。　And　the　U。S。　Marine　Corps　had　its　own　cachet；　independent　of　the　CIA。　〃He's　not　going　to　wet　his　pants　on　us；　is　he？〃
　　　〃I　suppose　not。〃
　　　〃And　all　he's　going　to　do　is　look　around　at　nothing　happening；　and　the　exposure　to　some　field　officers　will　not　do　his　education　any　harm；　will　it？〃
　　　〃They're　Brits；　not　our　guys；〃　Ritter　objected　weakly。
　　　〃The　same　guys　who　brought　the　Rabbit　out　for　us。〃
　　　〃Okay；　Arthur；　I'll　give　you　this　one。〃
　　　〃Bob；　you　throw　a　hell　of　a　conniption　fit；　but　why　not　use　them　for　something　important？〃
　　　〃Yes；　Judge；　but　the　DO　is　my　shop　to　run。　You　want　me　to　get　Rick　Nolfi　into　this？〃
　　　〃You　think　it's　necessary？〃
　　　Ritter　shook　his　head。　〃No；　I　expect　not。〃
　　　〃Then　we　let　the　Brits　run　this　mini…op　and　keep　it　cool　here　at　Langley　until　we　can　interview　the　Rabbit　and　quantify　the　threat　to　the　Pope；　all　right？〃
　　　〃Yes；　Arthur。〃　And　the　Deputy　Director　（Operations）　of　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency　headed　back　to　his　office。
　　　Dinner　went　well。　The　Brits　made　good　pany；　especially　when　the　talk　turned　to　non…mission…related　things。　All　were　married。　Three　had　kids；　with　one　expecting　his　first　shortly。
　　　〃You　have　two；　as　I　recall？〃　Mick　King　asked　Jack。
　　　〃Yeah；　and　number　two　arrived　on　a　busy　night。〃
　　　〃Too　bloody　right！〃　Ray　Stones；　one　of　the　new　arrivals；　agreed　with　a　laugh。　〃How　did　the　missus　take　it？〃
　　　〃Not　too　bad　after　Little　Jack　arrived；　but　the　rest　of　the　evening　was　subpar。〃
　　　〃I　believe　it；〃　King　observed。
　　　〃So；　who　told　us　that　the　Bulgarians　want　to　kill　the　Pope？〃　Sparrow　asked。
　　　〃It's　KGB　that　wants　his　ass；〃　Jack　replied。　〃We　just　got　a　defector　out。　He's　in　a　safe　house；　and　he's　singing　like　the　girl　in　Aida。　This　is　the　most　important　thing　so　far。　〃
　　　〃Reliable　information？〃　King　inquired。
　　　〃We　think　it's　gold…plated　and　copper…bottomed；　yeah。　Sir　Basil　has　bought　into　it。　That's　why　he　flew　you　guys　down；〃　Jack　let　them　know；　in　case　they　hadn't　already　figured　that　one　out。　〃I've　met　the　Rabbit　myself；　and　I　think　he's　the　real　deal。〃
　　　〃CIA　operation？〃　This　was　Sharp。
　　　Jack　nodded。　〃Correct。　We