tc.patriotgames-第53部分

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　　　　〃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　on　my　desk　a　report　from　the　FBI's　terrorism　unit　about　them；　and　we've　been　coordinating　lately　with　the　SIS。　I'd　like　to　see　you　back　here。　Jack。　Maybe　even　on　a　more　permanent　basis。　Have　you　thought　our　offer　over　any　more　since　we　last　spoke？〃　Greer　inquired　innocently。
　　　　〃Yes；　sir；　I　have；　but　。　。　。　well；　I　am　mitted　to　the　end　of　the　school　year。〃　Jack　temporized。　He　didn't　want　to　have　to　face　that　particular　question。　If　forced；　he'd　just　say　no；　and　that　would　kill　his　chance　to　get　into　Langley。
　　　　〃I　understand。　Take　your　time。　When　do　you　want　to　e　over？〃
　　　　Why　are　you　making　it　so　easy？　〃Could　I　e　over　tomorrow　morning？　My　first　class　isn't　until　two　in　the　afternoon。〃　
　　　　〃No　problem。　Be　at　the　main　gate　at　eight　in　the　morning。　They'll　be　waiting　for　you。　See　ya。〃　
　　　　〃Goodbye；　sir。〃　Jack　hung　up。
　　　　Well；　that　was　easy。　Too　easy；　Jack　thought。　What's　he　up　to？　Ryan　dismissed　the　thought。　He　wanted　to　look　at　what　CIA　had。　They　might　have　stuff　the　FBI　didn't；　at　the　least　he'd　get　a　look　at　more　data　than　he　had　now；　and　Jack　wanted　to　do　that。
　　　　Nevertheless　the　drive　home　was　a　troubled　one。　Jack　watched　his　rearview　mirror　after　remembering　that　he'd　left　the　Academy　the　same　way　he　always　did。　The　hell　of　it　was；　he　did　see　familiar　cars。　That　was　a　problem　with　making　your　mute　about　the　same　time　every　day。　There　were　at　least　twenty　cars　that　he　had　learned　to　recognize。　There　was　someone's　secretary　driving　her　Camaro　Z…28。　She　had　to　be　a　secretary。　She　was　dressed　too　well　to　be　anything　else。　Then　there　was　the　young　lawyer　in　his　BMW　　the　car　made　him　a　lawyer；　Ryan　thought；　wondering　how　he　had　ever　assigned　tags　to　his　fellow　muters。　What　if　a　new　one　shows　up？　he　wondered。　Will　you　be　able　to　tell　which　one　is　a　terrorist？　Fat　chance；　he　knew。　Miller；　for　all　the　danger　that　lay　on　his　face；　would　look　ordinary　enough　with　a　jacket　and　tie；　just　another　state　employee　fighting　his　way　up　Route　2　into　Annapolis　。　。　。　
　　　　〃Paranoid；　all　this　is　paranoid；〃　Ryan　murmured　to　himself。　Pretty　soon　he'd　check　the　rear　seat　in　his　car　before　he　got　in；　to　see　if　someone　might　be　lurking　back　there　like　on　TV；　with　a　pistol　or　garrote！　He　wondered　if　the　whole　thing　might　be　a　stupid；　paranoid　waste　of　time。　What　if　Dan　Murray　just　had　a　bug　up　his　ass　or　was　simply　being　cautious？　The　Bureau　probably　taught　its　men　to　be　cautious　on　these　things；　he　was　sure。　Do　I　scare　Cathy　over　this？　What　if　that's　all　there　is　to　it？　
　　　　What　if　it's　not？
　　　　That's　why　I'm　going　to　go　to　Langley　tomorrow；　Ryan　answered　himself。

　　　　They　sent　Sally　to　bed　at　8：30；　dressed　in　her　bunny…rabbit　sleeper；　the　flannel　pajamas　with　feet　that　keep　kids　warm　through　the　night。　She　was　getting　a　little　old　for　that；　Jack　thought；　but　his　wife　insisted　on　them；　since　their　daughter　had　a　habit　of　kicking　the　blankets　en　the　floor　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　
　　　　〃How　was　work　today？〃　his　wife　asked。
　　　　〃The　mids　gave　me　a　medal；〃　he　said；　and　explained　on　for　a　few　minutes。　Finally　he　pulled　the　Order　of　the　Purple　Target　out　of　his　briefcase。　Cathy　found　it　amusing。　The　smiling　stopped　when　he　related　the　visit　from　Mr。　Shaw　of　the　FBI。　Jack　ran　through　the　information；　careful　to　include　everything　the　agent　had　said。
　　　　〃So；　he　doesn't　really　think　it'll　be　a　problem？〃　she　asked　hopefully。
　　　　〃We　can't　ignore　it。〃
　　　　Cathy　turned　away　for　a　moment。　She　didn't　know　what　to　make　of　this　new　information。　Of　course；　her　husband　thought。　Neither　do　I。
　　　　〃So　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃　she　asked　finally。
　　　　〃For　one　thing　I'm　going　to　call　an　alarm　pany　and　have　the　house　wired。　Next；　I've　already　put　my　shotgun　back　together；　and　it's　loaded　〃
　　　　〃No；　Jack；　not　in　this　house；　not　with　Sally　around；〃　Cathy　said　at　once。
　　　　〃It's　on　the　top　shelf　in　my　closet。　It's　loaded；　but　it　doesn't　have　a　round　chambered。　She　can't　possibly　get　to　it；　not　even　with　a　stool　to　stand　on。　It　stays　loaded；　Cathy。　I'm　also　going　to　start　practicing　some　with　it；　and　maybe　get　a　pistol；　too。　And〃　　he　hesitated　　〃I　want　you　to　start　shooting；　too。〃　
　　　　〃No！　I'm　a　doctor；　Jack。　I　don't　use　guns。〃
　　　　〃They　don't　bite；〃　Jack　said　patiently。　〃I　just　want　you　to　meet　a　guy　I　know　who　teaches　women　to　shoot。　Just　meet　the　guy。〃
　　　　〃No。〃　Cathy　was　adamant。　Jack　took　a　deep　breath。　It　would　take　an　hour　to　persuade　her；　that　was　the　usual　time　required　for　her　mon　sense　to　overe　her　prejudices。　The　problem　was；　he　didn't　want　to　spend　an　hour　on　the　subject　right　now。
　　　　〃So　you're　going　to　call　the　alarm　pany　tomorrow　morning？〃　she　asked。
　　　　〃I　have　to　go　somewhere。〃　
　　　　〃Where？　You　don't　have　any　classes　until　after　lunch。〃　
　　　　Ryan　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I'm　going　over　to　Langley。〃　
　　　　〃What's　at　Langley？〃　
　　　　〃The　CIA；〃　Jack　answered　simply。　
　　　　〃What？〃
　　　　〃Remember　last　summer？　I　got　that　consulting　money　from　Mitre　Corporation？〃　
　　　　〃Yeah。〃　
　　　　〃All　the　work　was　at　CIA　headquarters。〃　
　　　　〃But　　you　said　over　in　England　that　you　never　〃　
　　　　〃That's　where　the　checks　came　from。　That's　who　I　was　working　for。　But　CIA　was　where　I　was　working　at。〃
　〃You　lied？〃　Cathy　was　astounded。　〃You　lied　in　a　courtroom？〃　
　　　　〃No。　I　said　that　I　was　never　employed　by　CIA；　and　I　wasn't。〃　
　　　　〃But　you　never　told　me。〃
　　　　〃You　didn't　need　to　know；〃　Jack　replied。　I　knew　this　wasn't　a　good　idea　。　。　。　
　　　　〃I'm　your　wife；　dammit！　What　were　you　doing　there？〃　
　　　　〃I　was　part　of　a　team　of　academics。　Every　few　years　they　bring　in　outsiders　to　look　at　some　of　their　data；　just　as　sort　of　a　check　on　the　regular　people　who　work　there。　I'm　not　a　spy　or　anything。　I　did　all　the　work　sitting　at　a　little　desk　in　a　little　room　on　the　third　floor。　I　wrote　a　report；　and　that　was　that。〃　There　was　no　sense　in　explaining　the　rest　to　her。　
　　　　〃What　was　the　report　about？〃　
　　　　〃I　can't　say。〃　
　　　　〃Jack！〃　She　was　really　mad　now。
　　　　〃Look；　babe；　I　signed　an　agreement　that　I　would　never　discuss　the　work　with　anybody　who　wasn't　cleared　　I　gave　my　word；　Cathy。〃　That　calmed　her　down　a　bit。　She　knew　that　her　husband　was　a　real　stickler　for　keeping　his　word。　It　was　actually　one　of　the　things　she　loved　about　him。　It　annoyed　her　that　he　used　this　as　a　defense；　but　she　knew　that　it　was　a　wall　she　couldn't　breach。　She　tried　another　tack。
　　　　〃So　why　are　you　going　back？〃
　　　　〃I　want　to　see　some　information　they　have。　You　ought　to　be　able　to　figure　out　what　that　information　is。〃　
　　　　〃About　these　ULA　people；　then。〃
　　　　〃Well；　let's　just　say　that　I'm　not　worried　about　the　Chinese　right　now。〃
　　　　〃You　really　are　worried　about　them；　aren't　you？〃　She　was　starting　to　worry；　finally。　
　　　　〃Yeah；　I　guess　I　am。〃　
　　　　〃But　why？　You　said　the　FBI　said　they　weren't　〃　
　　　　〃I　don't　know　　hell；　yes；　I　do　know。　It's　that　Miller　bastard；　the　one　at　the　trial。　He　wants　to　kill　me。〃　Ryan　looked　down　at　the　floor。　It　was　the　first　time　he'd　said　it　aloud。　
　　　　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
　　　　〃Because　I　saw　his　face；　Cathy。　I　saw　it；　and　I'm　scared　　not　just　for　me。〃　
　　　　〃But　Sally　and　I　〃
　　　　〃Do　you　really　think　he　cares　about　that？〃　Ryan　snapped　angrily。　〃These　bastards　kill　people　they　don't　even　know。　They　almost　do　it　for　fun。　They　want　to　change　the　world　into　something　they　like；　and　they　don't　give　a　damn　who's　in　the　way。　They　just　don't　care。〃
　　　　〃So　why　go　to　the　CIA？　Can　they　protect　you　　us　　I　mean　。　。　。　〃　
　　　　〃I　want　a　better　feel　for　what　these　guys　are　all　about。〃　
　　　　〃But　the　FBI　knows　that；　don't　they？〃
　　　　〃I　want　to　see　the　information　for　myself。　I　did　pretty　good　when　I　worked　there；〃　Jack　explained。　〃They　even　asked　me　to；　well；　to　take　a　permanent　position　there。　I　turned　them　down。〃　
　　　　〃You　never　told　me　any　of　this；〃　Cathy　grumped。
　　　　〃You　know　now。〃　Jack　went　on　for　a　few　minutes；　explaining　what　Shaw　had　told　him。　Cathy　would　have　to　be　careful　driving　to　and　from　work。　She　finally　started　smiling　again。　She　drove　a　six…cylinder　bomb　of　a　Porsche　911。　Why　she　never　got　a　speeding　ticket　was　always　a　source　of　wonderment　to　her　husband。　Probably　her　looks　didn't　hurt；　and　maybe　she　flashed　her　Hopkins　ID　card；　with　a　story　that　she　was　heading　to　emergency　surgery。　However　she　did　it；　she　was　in　a　car　with　a　top　speed　of　over　a　hundred　twenty　miles　per　hour　and　the　maneuverability　of　a　jackrabbit。　She'd　been　driving　Porsches　since　her　sixteenth　birthday；　and　Jack　admitted　to　himself　that　she　knew　how　to　make　the　little　green　sports　car　streak　down　a　country　road　　enough　to　make　him　hold　on　pretty　tight。　This；　Ryan　told　himself；　was　probably　a　better　defense　than　carrying　a　gun。　
　　　　〃So；　you　think　you　can　remember　to　do　that？〃　
　　　　〃Do　I　really　have　to？〃
　　　　〃I'm　sorry　I　got　us　into　this。　I　never　　I　never　knew　that　anything　like　this　would　happen。　Maybe　I　just　should　have　stayed　put。〃
　　　　Cathy　ran　her　hand　across　his　neck。　〃You　can't　change　it　now。　Maybe　they're　wrong。　Like　you　said；　probably　they're　just　acting　paranoid。〃　
　　　　〃Yeah。〃

Chapter　12　Homeing

　　　　Ryan　left　home　well　before　seven。　First　he　drove　to　U。S。　Route　50　and