tc.patriotgames-第52部分

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et。〃　Breckenridge　punched　a　button；　and　a　hidden　electric　motor　turned　the　pulley　for　lane　four。
　　　　〃Damn！〃　Ryan　growled；　looking　at　the　target。
　　　　〃Not　so　bad；〃　Breckenridge　judged。　〃We　got　four　rounds　on　the　paper。　Two　snowbirds。　Two　in　the　black；　both　in　the　chest。　Your　target　is　on　the　ground。　Lieutenant；　and　he's　hurt　pretty　bad。〃
　　　　〃Two　rounds　out　of　five　　must　be　the　last　two。　I　settled　down　on　them　and　took　some　more　time。〃
　　　　〃I　noticed　that。〃　Breckenridge　nodded。　〃Your　first　round　was　high　and　to　the　left；　missed　the　card。　Your　next　two　came　in　here　and　here。　The　last　two　were　on　the　money　fairly　well。　That's　not　too　bad；　Lieutenant。〃
　　　　〃I　did　a　hell　of　a　lot　better　in　London。〃　Ryan　was　not　convinced。　The　two　holes　outside　the　black　target　silhouette　mocked　at　him；　and　one　round　hadn't　even　found　the　target　at　all　。　。　。　
　　　　〃In　London；　if　the　TV　got　it　right；　you　had　a　second　or　two　to　figure　out　what　you　were　gonna　do；〃　the　Gunny　said。　
　　　　〃That's　pretty　much　the　way　it　was；〃　Ryan　admitted。
　　　　〃You　see；　Lieutenant；　that's　the　real　important　part。　That　one　or　two　seconds　makes　all　the　difference；　because　you　have　a　little　time　to　think　things　over。　The　reason　so　many　cops　get　killed　is　because　they　don't　have　that　little　bit　of　time　to　think　it　out　　but　the　crooks　have　done　that　already。　That　one　second　lets　you　figure　what's　happening；　select　your　target；　and　decide　what　you're　gonna　do　about　it。　Now；　what　I　just　made　you　do　was　go　through　all　three　steps；　all　at　once。　Your　first　round　went　wild。　The　second　and　third　were　better；　and　your　last　two　were　good　enough　to　put　the　target　on　the　ground。　That's　not　bad；　son。　That's　about　as　well　as　a　trained　cop　does　　but　you　gotta　do　better　than　that。〃　
　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　　　〃A　cop's　job　is　to　keep　the　peace。　Your　job　is　just　staying　alive；　and　that's　a　little　easier。　That's　the　good　news。　The　bad　news　is；　those　bad　guys　ain't　gonna　give　you　two　seconds　to　think　unless　you　make　them；　or　you're　real　lucky。〃　Breckenridge　waved　for　the　men　to　follow　him　into　his　office。　The　Sergeant　Major　plopped　down　in　his　cheap　swivel　chair。　Like　Jackson；　he　was　a　cigar　smoker。　He　lit　up　something　better　than　what　Robby　smoked；　but　it　still　stank　up　the　room。
　　　　〃Two　things　you　gotta　do。　One；　I　want　to　see　you　here　every　day　for　a　box　of　。22；　that's　every　day　for　a　month；　Lieutenant。　You　have　to　learn　to　shoot　better。　Shootin'　is　just　like　golf。　You　want　to　be　good　at　it；　you　gotta　do　it　every　day。　You　have　to　work　at　it；　and　you　need　somebody　to　teach　you　right。〃　The　Gunny　smiled。　〃That's　no　problem；　I'll　teach　you　right。　The　second　thing；　you　have　to　buy　time　for　yourself　if　the　bad　guys　e　lookin'　for　you。〃
　　　　〃The　FBI　told　him　to　drive　like　the　embassy　guys　do；〃　Jackson　offered。
　　　　〃Yeah；　that's　good　for　starters。　Same　as　in　Nam　　you　don't　settle　into　patterns。　What　if　they　try　to　hit　you　at　home？〃　
　　　　〃Pretty　isolated；　Gunny；〃　Robby　said。　
　　　　〃You　got　an　alarm？〃　Breckenridge　asked　Ryan。　
　　　　〃No；　but　I　can　fix　that　pretty　easy；〃　Ryan　said。
　　　　〃It's　a　good　idea。　I　don't　know　the　layout　of　your　place；　but　if　you　can　buy　yourself　a　few　seconds；　and　you　got　that　shotgun；　Lieutenant；　you　can　make　'em　wish　they　never　came　calling　　at　least　you　can　hold　them　off　till　the　police　e。　Like　I　said；　the　name　of　the　game's　just　staying　alive。　Now；　what　about　your　family？〃
　　　　〃My　wife's　a　doc；　and　she's　pregnant。　My　little　girl　　well；　you　saw　her　on　TV；　I　guess。〃　
　　　　〃Does　your　wife　know　how　to　shoot？〃　
　　　　〃I　don't　think　she's　ever　touched　a　gun　in　her　life。〃　
　　　　〃I　teach　a　class　in　firearms　safety　for　women　　part　of　the　work　I　do　with　the　local　police。〃
　　　　Ryan　wondered　how　Cathy　would　react　to　all　this。　He　put　that　one　off。　〃What　sort　of　handgun　you　think　I　oughta　get？〃　
　　　　〃If　you　e　by　tomorrow；　I'll　try　you　out　on　a　couple　of　'em。　Mainly　you　want　something　you're　fortable　with。　Don't　go　out　and　get　a　。44　Magnum；　okay？　I　like　automatics；　myself。　The　springs　eat　up　a　lot　of　the　recoil；　so　they're　easier　to　get　fortable　with。　You　want　to　buy　something　that's　fun　to　shoot；　not　something　that　beats　up　on　your　hand　and　wrist。　Me；　I　like　the　。45　Colt；　but　I　been　shooting　that　little　baby　for　twenty…some　years。〃　Breckenridge　grabbed　Ryan's　right　hand　and　flexed　it　around　roughly。　〃I　think　I'll　start　you　off　on　a　9…millimeter　Browning。　Your　hand　looks　big　enough　to　hold　it　right　　the　Browning's　got　a　thirteen…shot　clip；　you　need　a　fair…sized　hand　to　control　it　proper。　Got　a　nice　safety；　too。　If　you　have　a　kid　in　the　house；　Lieutenant；　you'd　better　think　about　safety；　okay？〃
　　　　〃No　problem；〃　Ryan　said。　〃I　can　keep　it　where　she　can't　reach　it　　we　got　a　big　closet；　and　I　can　keep　them　there；　seven　feet　off　the　floor。　Can　I　practice　with　a　big…bore　handgun　in　here？〃　
　　　　The　Sergeant　Major　laughed。　〃That　backstop　we　got　used　to　be　the　armor　plate　on　a　heavy　cruiser。　Mainly　we　use　。22's　in　here；　but　my　guards　practice　with　。45's　all　the　time。　Sounds　to　me　like　you　know　shotgunnin'　pretty　good。　Once　you　have　that　skill　with　pistol　too；　you'll　be　able　to　do　it　with　any　gun　you　pick　up。　Trust　me；　sir；　this　is　what　I　do　for　a　living。〃　
　　　　〃When　do　you　want　me　here？〃　
　　　　〃Say　about　four；　every　afternoon？〃　
　　　　Ryan　nodded。　〃Okay。〃
　　　　〃About　your　wife　　look；　just　bring　her　over　some　Saturday　maybe。　I'll　sit　her　down　and　talk　to　her　about　guns。　Lots　of　women；　they're　just　afraid　of　the　noise　　and　there's　all　that　crap　on　TV。　If　nothing　else；　we'll　get　her　used　to　shotgunning。　You　say　she's　a　doc；　so　she's　gotta　be　pretty　smart。　Hell；　maybe　she'll　like　it。　You'd　be　surprised　how　many　of　the　gals　I　teach　really　get　into　it。〃
　　　　Ryan　shook　his　head。　Cathy　had　never　once　touched　his　shotgun；　and　whenever　he　cleaned　it；　kept　Sally　out　of　the　room。　Jack　hadn't　thought　much　about　it；　and　hadn't　minded　having　Sally　out　of　the　way。　Little　kids　and　firearms　were　not　a　happy　mixture。　At　home　he　usually　had　the　Remington　disassembled　and　the　ammunition　locked　away　in　the　basement。　How　would　Cathy　react　to　having　a　loaded　gun　in　the　house？
　　　　What　if　you　start　carrying　a　gun　around？　How　will　she　react　to　that？　What　if　the　bad　guys　are　interested　in　going　after　them；　too　。　。　。？
　　　　〃I　know　what　you're　thinkin'；　Lieutenant；〃　Breckenridge　said。　〃Hey；　the　mander　said　the　FBI　didn't　think　any　of　this　crap　was　gonna　happen；　right？〃　
　　　　〃Yeah。〃　
　　　　〃So　what　you're　doin'　is　buyin'　insurance；　okay？〃　
　　　　〃He　said　that；　too；〃　Ryan　replied。
　　　　〃Look　　we　get　intel　reports　here；　sir。　Yeah；　that's　right。　Ever　since　those　bike　bums　broke　in；　we　get　stuff　from　the　cops　and　the　FBI；　and　from　some　other　places　　even　the　Coast　Guard。　Some　of　their　guys　e　here　for　firearms　training；　'cause　of　the　drug　stuff　they　got　'em　doing　now。　I'll　keep　an　ear　out；　too；〃　Breckenridge　assured　him。
　　　　Information　　it's　all　a　battle　for　information。　You　have　to　know　what's　happening　if　you're　going　to　do　anything　about　it。　Jack　turned　back　to　look　at　Jackson　while　he　made　a　decision　that　he'd　been　trying　to　avoid　ever　since　he　got　back　from　England。　He　still　had　the　number　in　his　office。
　　　　〃And　if　they　tell　you　those　bike　bums　are　ing　back？〃　Ryan　asked　with　a　smile。
　　　　〃They'll　wish　they　didn't；〃　the　Sergeant　Major　said　seriously。　〃This　is　a　U。S。　Navy　reservation；　guarded　by　the　United　States　Marine　Corps。〃
　　　　And　that's　the　name　of　that　tune；　Ryan　thought。　〃Well；　thanks；　Gunny。　I'll　get　out　of　your　way。〃
　　　　Breckenridge　saw　them　to　the　door。　〃Sixteen　hundred　tomorrow；　Lieutenant。　How　about　you；　mander　Jackson？〃　
　　　　〃I'll　stick　to　missiles　and　cannons；　Gunny。　Safer　that　way。　G'night。〃　
　　　　〃Good　night；　sir。〃
　　　　Robby　walked　Jack　back　to　his　office。　They　had　to　pass　on　the　daily　drinks。　Jackson　had　to　do　some　shopping　on　the　way　home。　After　his　friend　left。　Jack　stared　at　his　telephone　for　several　minutes。　Somehow　he'd　managed　to　avoid　doing　this　for　several　weeks　despite　his　wish　to　track　down　information　on　the　ULA。　But　it　wasn't　just　curiosity　anymore。　Ryan　flipped　open　his　telephone　book　and　turned　to　the　〃G〃　page。　He　was　able　to　call　the　D。C。　area　direct；　though　his　finger　hesitated　before　it　jabbed　down　on　each　button。
　　　　〃This　is　Mrs。　Cummings；〃　a　voice　answered　after　the　first　ring。　Jack　took　a　deep　breath。
　　　　〃Hello；　Nancy；　this　is　Doctor　Ryan。　Is　the　boss　in？〃　
　　　　〃Let　me　check。　Can　you　hold　for　a　second？〃　
　　　　〃Yes。〃
　　　　They　didn't　have　one　of　the　new　musical　hold　buttons　there；　Ryan　noted。　There　was　just　the　muted　chirp　of　electronic　noise　for　him　to　listen　to。　Am　I　doing　the　right　thing？　he　wondered。　He　admitted　to　himself　that　he　didn't　know。　
　　　　〃Jack？〃　a　familiar　voice　said。　
　　　　〃Hello；　Admiral。〃　
　　　　〃How's　the　family？〃　
　　　　〃Fine；　thank　you；　sir。〃　
　　　　〃They　came　through　all　the　excitement　all　right？〃　
　　　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　　　〃And　I　understand　that　your　wife's　expecting　another　baby。　Congratulations。〃
　　　　And　how　did　you　know　that；　Admiral？　Ryan　did　not　ask。　He　didn't　have　to。　The　DDI　was　supposed　to　know　everything；　and　there　were　at　least　a　million　ways　he　might　have　found　out。　
　　　　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃　
　　　　〃So；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　　　　〃Admiral；　I　。　。　。〃　Jack　hesitated。　〃I　want　to　look　into　this　ULA　bunch。〃
　　　　〃Yeah；　I　thought　you　might。　I　have　here