tc.patriotgames-第20部分

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　　　　〃I　don't　think　it　was　a　chance　encounter。　Somebody　had　to　tip　them。　They　hit　a　moving　target　making　an　unscheduled　trip。〃　
　　　　〃How　the　hell　did　you　know　that？〃　the　agent　demanded。
　　　　〃Doesn't　matter；　does　it？　People　talk。　Who　knew　that　they　were　ing　in？〃
　　　　〃That　is　being　looked　at。　The　interesting　thing　is　what　they　were　ing　in　for。　Of　course；　that　could　just　be　a　coincidence。　The　Prince　gets　briefed　on　political　and　national　security　stuff；　same　as　the　Queen　does。　Something　happened　with　the　Irish　situation；　negotiations　between　London　and　Dublin。　He　was　ing　in　for　the　briefing。　All　I　can　tell　you。〃
　　　　〃Hey；　if　you　checked　me　out；　you　know　how　I'm　cleared；〃　Ryan　sniffed。
　　　　Murray　grinned。　〃Nice　try；　ace。　If　you　weren't　cleared　TS；　I　wouldn't　have　told　you　this　much。　We're　not　privy　to　it　yet　anyway。　Like　I　said；　it　might　just　have　been　a　coincidence；　but　you　guessed　right　on　the　important　part。　It　was　an　unscheduled　trip　and　somebody　got　the　word　out　for　the　ambush。　Only　way　it　could　have　happened。　You　will　consider　that　classified　information；　Doctor　Ryan。　It　doesn't　go　past　that　door。〃　Murray　was　affable。　He　was　also　very　serious　about　his　job。
　　　　Jack　nodded　agreement。　〃No　problem。　It　was　a　kidnap；　too；　wasn't　it？〃
　　　　The　FBI　agent　grimaced　and　shook　his　head。　〃I've　handled　about　a　half…dozen　kidnappings　and　closed　every　case　with　a　conviction。　We　only　lost　one　hostage　　they　killed　that　kid　the　first　day。　Those　two　were　executed。　I　watched；〃　Murray　said　coldly。　〃Kidnapping　is　a　high…risk　crime　all　the　way　down　the　line。　They　have　to　be　at　a　specific　place　to　get　their　money　　that's　usually　what　gets　'em　caught。　We　can　track　people　like　you　wouldn't　believe；　then　bring　in　the　cavalry　hard　and　fast。　In　this　case　。　。　。　we're　talking　some　impressive　bargaining　chips；　and　there　would　not　be　a　money　transfer　　the　public　release　of　some　'political'　prisoners　is　the　obvious　objective。　The　evidence　does　lean　that　way；　except　that　these　characters　have　never　done　one　of　those。　It　makes　the　escape　procedures　a　lot　more　plex；　but　these　ULA　characters　have　always　had　their　escape　routes　well　planned　beforehand。　I'd　say　you're　probably　right；　but　it's　not　as　clear…cut　as　you　think。　Owens　and　Taylor　aren't　pletely　sure；　and　our　friend　isn't　talking。　Big　surprise。〃
　　　　〃They've　never　made　a　public　announcement；　you　said？　Was　this　supposed　to　be　their　break　into　the　big　time？　〃Their　first　public　announcement；　they　might　as　well　do　it　with　something　spectacular；〃　Ryan　said　thoughtfully。
　　　　〃That's　a　fair　guess。〃　Murray　nodded。　〃It　certainly　would　have　put　them　on　the　map。　Like　I　said；　our　intel　on　these　chaps　is　damned　thin；　almost　all　of　it's　secondhand　stuff　that　es　through　the　PIRA　　which　is　why　we　thought　they　were　actually　part　of　it。　We　haven't　exactly　figured　what　they're　up　to。　Every　one　of　their　operations　has　　how　do　I　say　this？　There　seems　to　be　a　pattern　there；　but　nobody's　ever　figured　it　out。　It's　almost　as　though　the　political　fallout　isn't　aimed　at　us　at　all；　but　that　doesn't　make　any　sense　　not　that　it　has　to　make　sense；〃　the　agent　grunted。　〃It's　not　easy　trying　to　psychoanalyze　the　terrorist　mind。〃　
　　　　〃Any　chance　they'll　e　after　me；　or　〃　　　　　Murray　shook　his　head。　〃Unlikely；　and　the　security's　pretty　tight。　You　know　who　they　have　taking　your　wife　and　kid　around？〃　
　　　　〃SAS　　I　asked。〃
　　　　〃That　youngster's　on　their　Olympic　pistol　team；　and　I　hear　that　he　has　some　field　experience　that　never　made　the　papers。　The　DPG　escort　is　also　one　of　the　varsity；　and　they'll　have　a　chase　car　everywhere　they　go。　The　security　on　you　is　pretty　impressive；　too。　You　have　some　big…league　interest　in　your　safety。　You　can　relax。　And　after　you　get　home　it's　all　behind　you。　None　of　these　groups　has　ever　operated　in　the　U。S。　We're　too　important　to　them。　NORAID　means　more　to　them　psychologically　than　financially。　When　they　fly　to　Boston；　it's　like　crawling　back　into　the　womb；　all　the　beers　people　buy　for　them；　it　tells　them　that　they're　the　good　guys。　No；　if　they　started　raising　hell　out　our　side　of　the　pond　　I　don't　think　they　could　take　being　persona　non　grata　in　Boston。　It's　the　only　real　weak　point　the　PIRA　and　the　rest　have；　and　unfortunately　it's　not　one　that　we　can　exploit　all　that　well。　We've　pretty　much　cut　down　on　the　weapons　pipeline；　but；　hell；　they　get　most　of　their　stuff　from　the　other　side　now。　Or　they　make　their　own。　Like　explosives。　All　you　need　is　a　bag　of　ammonia…based　fertilizer　and　you　can　make　a　respectable　bomb。　You　can't　arrest　a　farmer　for　carrying　fertilizer　in　his　truck；　can　you？　It's　not　as　sexy　as　some　good　plastique；　but　it's　a　hell　of　a　lot　easier　to　get。　For　guns　and　heavier　stuff　　anybody　can　get　AK…47s　and　RPGs；　they're　all　over　the　place。　No；　they　depend　on　us　for　moral　support；　and　there's　quite　a　few　people　who'll　give　it；　even　in　Congress。　Remember　the　fight　over　the　extradition　treaty？　It's　amazing。　These　bastards　kill　people。
　　　　〃Both　sides。〃　Murray　paused　for　a　moment。　〃The　Protestant　crazies　are　just　as　bad。　The　Provisionals　waste　a　prod。　Then　the　Ulster　Volunteer　Force　sends　a　car　through　a　Catholic　neighborhood　and　pops　the　first　convenient　target。　A　lot　of　the　killing　is　purely　random　now。　Maybe　a　third　of　the　kills　are　people　who　were　walking　down　the　wrong　street。　The　process　feeds　on　itself；　and　there's　not　much　of　a　middle　ground　left　anymore。　Except　the　cops　　I　know；　the　RUC　used　to　be　the　bad　guys；　too；　but　they've　just　about　ended　that　crap。　The　Law　has　got　to　be　the　Law　for　everyone　　but　that's　too　easy　to　forget　sometimes；　like　in　Mississippi　back　in　the　sixties；　and　that's　essentially　what　happened　in　Northern　Ireland。　Sir　Jack　Hermon　is　trying　to　turn　the　RUC　into　a　professional　police　force。　There　are　plenty　of　people　left　over　from　the　bad　old　days；　but　the　troops　are　ing　around。　They　must　be。　The　cops　are　taking　casualties　from　both　sides；　the　last　one　was　killed　by　prods。　They　firebombed　his　house。〃　Murray　shook　his　head。　〃It's　amazing。　I　was　just　over　there　two　weeks　ago。　Their　morale's　great；　especially　with　the　new　kids。　I　don't　know　how　they　do　it　　well；　I　do　know。　They　have　their　mission；　too。　The　cops　and　the　courts　have　to　reestablish　justice；　and　the　people　have　to　see　that　they're　doing　it。　They're　the　only　hope　that　place　has；　them　and　a　few　of　the　church　leaders。　Maybe　mon　sense'll　break　out　someday；　but　don't　hold　your　breath。　It's　going　to　take　a　long　time。　Thank　God　for　Tom　Jefferson　and　Jim　Madison；　bub。　Sometimes　I　wonder　how　close　we　came　to　that　sectarian　stuff。　It's　like　a　Mafia　war　that　everybody　can　play　in。〃

　　　　〃Well；　Judge？〃　Admiral　James　Greer　hit　the　off　switch　on　the　remote　control　as　the　Cable　News　Network　switched　topics。　The　Director　of　Central　Intelligence　tapped　his　cigar　on　the　cut…glass　ashtray。
　　　　〃We　know　he's　smart；　James；　and　it　looks　like　he　knows　how　to　handle　himself　with　reporters；　but　he's　impetuous；〃　Judge　Arthur　Moore　said。
　　　　〃e　on；　Arthur。　He's　young。　I　want　somebody　in　here　with　some　fresh　ideas。　You　going　to　tell　me　now　that　you　didn't　like　his　report？　First　time　at　bat；　and　he　turns　out　something　that　good！〃
　　　　Judge　Moore　smiled　behind　his　cigar。　It　was　drizzling　outside　the　seventh…floor　window　of　the　office　of　the　Deputy　Director；　Intelligence；　of　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency。　The　rolling　hills　of　the　Potomac　Valley　prevented　his　seeing　the　river；　but　he　could　spy　the　hills　a　mile　or　so　away　on　the　far　side。　It　was　a　far　prettier　view　than　that　of　the　parking　lots。　
　　　　〃Background　check？〃
　　　　〃We　haven't　done　a　deep　one　yet；　but　I'll　bet　you　a　bottle　of　your　favorite　bourbon　that　he　es　up　clean。〃
　　　　〃No　bet；　James！〃　Moore　had　already　seen　Jack's　service　record　from　the　Marine　Corps。　Besides；　he　hadn't　e　to　the　Agency。　They　had　gone　to　him　and　he'd　turned　them　down　on　the　first　offer。　〃You　think　he　can　handle　it；　eh？〃
　　　　〃You　really　ought　to　meet　the　kid；　Judge。　I　had　him　figured　out　the　first　ten　minutes　he　was　in　here　last　July。〃　
　　　　〃You　arranged　the　leak？〃
　　　　〃Me？　Leak？〃　Admiral　Greer　chuckled。　〃Nice　to　know　how　he　can　handle　himself；　though；　isn't　it？　Didn't　even　blink　when　he　fielded　the　question。　The　boy　takes　his　clearance　seriously；　and〃　　Greer　held　up　the　telex　from　London　　〃he's　asking　good　questions。　Emil　says　his　man　Murray　was　fairly　impressed；　too。　It's　just　a　damned　shame　to　waste　him　teaching　history。〃　
　　　　〃Even　at　your　alma　mater？〃
　　　　Greer　smiled。　〃Yes；　that　does　hurt　a　little。　I　want　him；　Arthur。　I　want　to　teach　him；　I　want　to　groom　him。　He's　our　kind　of　people。〃　
　　　　〃But　he　doesn't　seem　to　think　so。〃　
　　　　〃He　will。〃　Greer　was　quietly　positive。
　　　　〃Okay；　James。　How　do　you　want　to　approach　him？〃　
　　　　〃No　hurry。　I　want　a　very　thorough　background　check　done　first　　and　who　knows？　Maybe　he'll　e　to　us。〃　
　　　　〃No　chance；〃　Judge　Moore　scoffed。
　　　　〃He'll　e　to　us　requesting　information　on　this　ULA　bunch；〃　Greer　said。
　　　　The　Judge　thought　about　that　one。　One　thing　about　James　Greer；　Moore　knew；　was　his　ability　to　see　into　things　and　people　as　though　they　were　made　of　crystal。　〃That　makes　sense。〃　
　　　　〃You　bet　it　does。　It'll　be　a　while　　the　Attache　says　he　has　to　stay　over　for　the　trial　and　all　　but　he'll　be　in　this　office　two　weeks　after　he　gets　back；　asking　for　a　chance　to