tc.patriotgames-第28部分

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　　　　Atkinson　had　finally　succeeded　in　confusing　Ryan。　Jack　had　not　the　slightest　idea　where　this　was　leading。
　　　　〃I　haven't　thought　of　it　that　way；　sir；　but；　yes；　you　are　correct；〃　Jack　admitted。　〃That　is　pretty　much　what　happened。〃　
　　　　〃And　next　you　crept　to　the　corner　of　the　automobile；　saw　the　second　person　whom　you　had　seen　earlier；　and　instead　of　trying　to　disable　him；　you　shot　him　dead　without　warning。　In　this　case；　it　is　clear　that　you　reverted　again　to　your　Marine　training；　and　shot　to　kill。　Don't　you　find　this　inconsistent？〃
　　　　Jack　shook　his　head。　〃Not　at　all；　sir。　In　each　case　I　used　the　force　necessary　to　　well；　the　force　I　had　to　use；　as　I　saw　things。〃　
　　　　〃I　think　you　are　wrong；　Sir　John。　I　think　that　you　reacted　like　a　hotheaded　officer　of　the　United　States　Marines　throughout。　You　raced　into　a　situation　of　which　you　had　no　clear　understanding；　attacked　an　innocent　man；　and　tried　then　to　kill　him　while　he　lay　helpless　and　unconscious　on　the　street。　Next　you　coldly　gunned　down　someone　else　without　the　first　thought　of　trying　to　disarm　him。　You　did　not　know　then；　and　you　do　not　know　now　what　was　really　happening；　do　you？〃
　　　　〃No；　sir；　I　do　not　believe　that　was　the　case　at　all。　What　was　I　supposed　to　have　done　with　the　second　man？〃
　　　　Atkinson　saw　an　opening　and　used　it。　〃You　just　told　the　court　that　you　only　wished　to　disable　my　client　　when　in　fact　you　tried　to　kill　him。　How　do　you　expect　us　to　believe　that　when　your　next　action　had　not　the　first　thing　to　do　with　such　a　peaceful　solution？〃　
　　　　〃Sir；　when　I　saw　McCrory；　the　second　gunman；　for　the　first　time；　he　had　an　AK…47　assault　rifle　in　his　hands。　Going　up　against　a　light　machine　gun　with　a　pistol　〃
　　　　〃But　by　this　time　you　saw　that　he　didn't　have　the　Kalashnikov；　didn't　you？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　sir；　that's　true。　If　he'd　still　had　it　　I　don't　know；　maybe　I　wouldn't　have　stepped　around　the　car；　maybe　I　would　have　shot　from　cover；　from　behind　the　car；　that　is。〃
　　　　〃Ah；　I　see！〃　Atkinson　exclaimed。　〃Instead；　here　was　your　chance　to　confront　and　kill　the　man　in　true　cowboy　fashion。〃　His　hands　went　up　in　the　air。　〃Dodge　City　on　The　Mall！〃　
　　　　〃I　wish　you'd　tell　me　what　you　think　I　should　have　done；〃　Jack　said　with　some　exasperation。
　　　　〃For　someone　able　to　shoot　straight　through　the　heart　on　his　first　shot；　why　not　shoot　the　gun　from　his　hand。　Sir　John？〃　
　　　　〃Oh；　I　see。〃　Atkinson　had　just　made　a　mistake。　Ryan　shook　his　head　and　smiled。　〃I　wish　you'd　make　up　your　mind。〃　
　　　　〃What？〃　The　barrister　was　caught　by　surprise。
　　　　〃Mr。　Atkinson；　a　minute　ago　you　said　that　I　tried　to　kill　your　client。　I　was　at　arm's…length　range；　but　I　didn't　kill　him。　So　I'm　a　pretty　lousy　shot。　But　you　expect　me　to　be　able　to　hit　a　man　in　the　hand　at　fifteen　or　twenty　feet。　It　doesn't　work　that　way；　sir。　I'm　either　a　good　shot　or　a　bad　shot；　sir；　but　not　both。　Besides；　that's　just　TV　stuff；　shooting　a　gun　out　of　somebody's　hand。　On　TV　the　good　guy　can　do　that；　but　TV　isn't　real。　With　a　pistol；　you　aim　for　the　center　of　your　target。　That's　what　I　did。　I　stepped　out　from　behind　the　car　to　get　a　clear　shot；　and　I　aimed。　If　McCrory　had　not　turned　his　gun　towards　me　　I　can't　say　for　sure；　but　probably　I　would　not　have　shot。　But　he　did　turn　and　fire；　as　you　can　see　from　my　shoulder　　and　I　did　return　fire。　It　is　true　that　I　might　have　done　things　differently。　Unfortunately　I　did　not。　I　had　　I　didn't　have　much　time　to　take　action。　I　did　the　best　I　could。　I'm　sorry　the　man　was　killed；　but　that　was　his　choice；　too。　He　saw　I　had　the　drop　on　him；　but　he　turned　and　fired　　and　he　fired　first；　sir。〃　
　　　　〃But　you　never　said　a　word；　did　you？〃　
　　　　〃No；　I　don't　think　I　did；〃　Jack　admitted。　
　　　　〃Don't　you　wish　you'd　done　things　differently？〃
　　　　〃Mr。　Atkinson；　if　it　makes　you　feel　any　better；　I　have　gone　over　that　again　and　again　for　the　past　four　weeks。　If　I'd　had　more　time　to　think；　perhaps　I　would　have　done　something　different。　But　I'll　never　know；　because　I　didn't　have　more　time。〃　Jack　paused。　〃I　suppose　the　best　thing　for　all　concerned　would　be　if　all　this　had　never　happened。　But　I　didn't　make　it　happen；　sir。　He　did。〃　Jack　allowed　himself　to　look　at　Miller　again。
　　　　Miller　was　sitting　in　a　straight…back　wooden　chair；　his　arms　crossed　in　front　of　him；　and　head　cocked　slightly　to　the　left。　A　smile　started　to　take　shape　at　one　corner　of　his　mouth。　It　didn't　go　very　far；　and　wasn't　supposed　to。　It　was　a　smile　for　Ryan　alone　。　。　。　or　maybe　not　me　alone。　Jack　realized。　Sean　Miller's　gray　eyes　didn't　blink　　he　must　have　practiced　that　　as　they　bored　in　on　him　from　thirty　feet　away。　Ryan　returned　the　stare；　careful　to　keep　his　face　without　expression；　and　while　the　court　reporter　finished　up　his　transcription　of　Jack's　testimony；　and　the　visitors　in　the　overhead　gallery　shared　whispered　observations；　Ryan　and　Miller　were　all　alone；　testing　each　other's　wills。　What's　behind　those　eyes？　Jack　wondered　again。　No　weakling；　to　be　sure。　This　was　a　game　　Miller's　game　that　he'd　practiced　before；　Ryan　thought　with　certainty。　There　was　strength　in　there；　like　something　one　might　encounter　in　a　predatory　animal。　But　there　was　nothing　to　mute　the　strength。　There　was　none　of　the　softness　of　morality　or　conscience；　only　strength　and　will。　With　four　police　constables　around　him；　Sean　Miller　was　as　surely　restrained　as　a　wolf　in　a　cage；　and　he　looked　at　Ryan　as　a　wolf　might　from　behind　the　bars；　without　recognition　of　his　humanity。　He　was　a　predator；　looking　at　a　。　。　。　thing　　and　wondering　how　he　might　reach　it。　The　suit　and　the　tie　were　camouflage；　as　had　been　his　earlier　smile　at　his　friends　in　the　gallery。　He　wasn't　thinking　about　them　now。　He　wasn't　thinking　about　what　the　court　would　decide。　He　wasn't　thinking　about　prison；　Jack　knew。　He　was　thinking　only　about　something　named　Ryan；　something　he　could　see　just　out　of　his　reach。　In　the　witness　box；　Jack's　right　hand　flexed　in　his　lap　as　though　to　grasp　the　pistol　which　lay　in　sight　on　the　evidence　table　a　few　feet　away。
　　　　This　wasn't　an　animal　in　a　cage；　after　all。　Miller　had　intelligence　and　education。　He　could　think　and　plan；　as　a　human　could；　but　he　would　not　be　restrained　by　any　human　impulses　when　he　decided　to　move。　Jack's　academic　investigation　of　terrorists　for　the　CIA　had　dealt　with　them　as　abstractions；　robots　that　moved　about　and　did　things；　and　had　to　be　neutralized　one　way　or　another。　He'd　never　expected　to　meet　one。　More　important；　Jack　had　never　expected　to　have　one　look　at　him　in　this　way。　Didn't　he　know　that　Jack　was　just　doing　his　civic　duty？
　　　　You　could　care　less　about　that。　I'm　something　that　got　in　your　way。　I　hurt　you；　killed　your　friend；　and　defeated　your　mission。　You　want　to　get　even；　don't　you？　A　wounded　animal　will　always　seek　out　its　tormentor。　Jack　told　himself。　And　this　wounded　animal　has　a　brain。　This　one　has　a　memory。　Out　of　sight　to　anyone　else；　he　wiped　a　sweaty　hand　on　his　pants。　This　one　is　thinking。
　　　　Ryan　was　frightened　in　a　way　that　he'd　never　known　before。　It　lasted　several　seconds　before　he　reminded　himself　that　Miller　was　surrounded　by　four　cops；　that　the　jury　would　find　him　guilty；　that　he　would　be　sentenced　to　prison　for　the　remainder　of　his　natural　life；　and　that　prison　life　would　change　the　person　or　thing　that　lived　behind　those　pale　gray　eyes。

　　　　And　I　used　to　be　a　Marine；　Jack　told　himself。　I'm　not　afraid　of　you。　I　can　handle　you；　punk。　I　took　you　out　once；　didn't　I？　He　smiled　back　at　Sean　Miller；　just　a　slight　curve　at　the　corner　of　his　own　mouth。　Not　a　wolf　　a　weasel。　Nasty；　but　not　that　much　to　worry　about；　he　told　himself。　Jack　turned　away　as　though　from　an　exhibit　in　the　zoo。　He　wondered　if　Miller　had　seen　through　his　quiet　bravado。
　　　　〃No　further　questions；〃　Atkinson　said。
　　　　〃The　witness　may　step　down；〃　Mr。　Justice　Wheeler　said。
　　　　Jack　stood　up　from　the　stool　and　turned　to　find　the　way　out。　As　he　did　so；　his　eyes　swept　across　Miller　one　last　time；　long　enough　to　see　that　the　look　and　the　smile　hadn't　changed。
　　　　Jack　walked　back　out　to　the　grand　hall　as　another　witness　passed　in　the　other　direction。　He　found　Dan　Murray　waiting　for　him。
　　　　〃Not　bad；〃　the　FBI　agent　observed；　〃but　you　want　to　be　careful　locking　horns　with　a　lawyer。　He　almost　tripped　you　up。〃　
　　　　〃You　think　it'll　matter？〃
　　　　Murray　shook　his　head。　〃Nah。　The　trial's　a　formality；　the　case　is　airtight。〃　
　　　　〃What'll　he　get？〃
　　　　〃Life。　Normally　over　here　'life'　doesn't　mean　any　more　than　it　does　stateside　　six　or　eight　years。　For　this　kid；　'life'　means　life。　Oh；　there　you　are；　Jimmy。〃
　mander　Owens　came　down　the　corridor　and　joined　them。　〃How　did　our　lad　perform？〃　
　　　　〃Not　an　Oscar　winner；　but　the　jury　liked　him；〃　Murray　said。　
　　　　〃How　can　you　tell　that？〃　
　　　　〃That's　right；　you've　never　been　through　this；　have　you？　They　sat　perfectly　still；　hardly　even　breathed　while　you　were　telling　your　story。　They　believed　everything　you　said；　especially　the　part　about　how　you've　thought　and　worried　about　it。　You　e　across　as　an　honest　guy。〃　
　　　　〃I　am；〃　Ryan　said。　〃So？〃
　　　　〃Not　everybody　is；〃　Owens　pointed　out。　〃And　juries　are　actually　quite　good　at　noticing　it。　That　is；　some　of　the　time。〃　
　　　　Murray　nodded。　〃We　both　have　some　good　　well；　not　so　good　　stories　about　what　a　jury　can　do；　but　when　you　get　down　to　it；　the