tc.patriotgames-第58部分

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　　　　One　junior　analyst's　brief　was　coverage　on　camps　suspected　to　be　used　for　the　training　of　terrorists。　The　project　had　not　yet　shown　enough　results　to　be　treated　more　importantly；　though　the　data　and　photographs　were　passed　on　to　the　Task　Force　on　bating　Terrorism。　TFCT　used　the　satellite　photos；　as　was　the　norm　in　government　circles。　The　staffers　oohed　and　ahhed　over　the　clarity　of　the　shots；　were　briefed　on　the　new　charge…coupled　devices　that　enabled　the　cameras　to　get　high…resolution　pictures　despite　atmospheric　disturbances；　noted　that；　despite　all　the　hoopla；　you　really　couldn't　read　the　numbers　on　a　license　plate　　and　promptly　forgot　about　them　as　anything　more　than　pictures　of　camps　where　terrorists　might　be　training。　Photoreconnaissance　interpretation　had　always　been　a　narrow　field　for　experts　only。　The　analysis　work　was　simply　too　technical。
　　　　And　as　was　so　often　the　case；　here　was　the　nib。　The　junior　analyst　was　better　described　as　a　technician。　He　collected　and　collated　data；　but　didn't　really　analyze　it。　That　was　someone　else's　job；　for　when　the　project　was　finished。　In　this　particular　case　the　data　being　processed　noted　infrared　energy。　The　camps　he　examined　on　a　daily　basis　　there　were　over　two　hundred　　were　mainly　in　deserts。　That　was　remarkably　good　luck。　While　everyone　knew　that　deserts　suffer　from　blistering　daylight　heat；　it　was　less　appreciated　that　they　can　get　quite　cold　at　night　　falling　below　freezing　in　many　cases。　So　the　technician　was　trying　to　determine　the　occupancy　of　the　camps　from　the　number　of　buildings　that　were　heated　during　the　cool　nights。　These　showed　up　quite　well　on　the　infrared：　bright　blobs　of　white　on　a　cold；　black　background。
　　　　A　puter　stored　the　digital　signals　from　the　satellite。　The　technician　called　up　the　camps　by　code　number；　noted　the　number　of　heated　buildings　in　each；　and　transferred　the　data　to　a　second　data　file。　Camp　11…5…18；　located　at　28°　32'　47〃　North　Latitude；　19°　07'　52〃　East　Longitude；　had　six　buildings；　one　of　which　was　a　garage。　This　one　had　at　least　two　vehicles　in　it；　though　the　building　was　unheated；　the　thermal　signatures　of　two　internal…bustion　engines　radiated　clearly　through　the　corrugated　steel　roofs。　Of　the　other　five　buildings；　only　one　had　its　heater　on；　the　technician　noted。　The　previous　week　　he　checked　　three　had　been　warm。　The　warm　one　now；　the　data　sheet　said；　was　occupied　by　a　small　guard　and　maintenance　group；　thought　to　be　five　men。　It　evidently　had　its　own　kitchen；　since　one　part　of　the　building　was　always　a　little　warmer　than　the　rest。　Another　building　was　a　full…sized　dining　hall。　That　and　the　dormitories　were　now　empty。　The　technician　made　the　appropriate　notations；　and　the　puter　assigned　them　to　a　simple　line　graph　that　peaked　when　occupancy　was　high　and　fell　when　it　was　low。　The　technician　didn't　have　the　time　to　check　the　patterns　on　the　graph；　but　he　assumed；　wrongly；　that　someone　else　did。

　　　　〃You　remember。　Lieutenant；〃　Breckenridge　said。　〃Deep　breath；　let　it　half　out　and　squeeeze　gently。〃
　　　　The　9mm　Browning　automatic　had　excellent　sights。　Ryan　centered　them　on　the　circular　target　and　did　what　the　Gunny　said。　He　did　it　right。　The　flash　and　sound　of　the　shot　came　almost　as　a　surprise　to　him。　The　automatic　ejected　the　spent　round　and　was　ready　to　fire　again　as　Jack　brought　the　pistol　down　from　recoil。　He　repeated　the　procedure　four　more　times。　The　pistol　locked　open　on　the　empty　clip　and　Ryan　set　it　down。　Next　he　took　off　the　muff…type　ear　protectors。　His　ears　were　sweaty。
　　　　〃Two　nines；　three　tens；　two　of　them　in　the　X…ring。〃　Breckenridge　stood　away　from　the　spotting　scope。　〃Not　as　good　as　the　last　time。〃
　　　　〃My　arm's　tired；〃　Ryan　explained。　The　pistol　weighed　almost　forty　ounces。　It　didn't　seem　like　much　weight　until　you　had　to　hold　it　stone…steady　at　arm's　length　for　an　hour。
　　　　〃You　can　get　some　wrist　weights　　you　know；　like　joggers　use。　It'll　build　up　your　forearm　and　wrist　muscles。〃　Breckenridge　slipped　five　rounds　into　the　clip　of　Ryan's　pistol　and　stepped　to　the　line　to　aim　at　a　fresh　target。
　　　　The　Sergeant　Major　fined　all　five　in　under　three　seconds。　Ryan　looked　in　the　spotting　scope。　There　were　five　holes　within　the　target's　X…ring；　clustered　like　the　petals　on　a　flower。
　　　　〃Damn；　I　forgot　how　much　fun　a　nice　Browning　could　be。〃　He　ejected　the　clip　and　reloaded。　〃The　sights　are　right　on；　too。〃　
　　　　〃I　noticed；〃　Jack　replied　lamely。
　　　　〃Don't　feel　too　bad；　Lieutenant；〃　Breckenridge　said。　〃I've　been　doin'　this　since　you　were　in　diapers。〃　Five　more　rounds　and　the　center　was　effectively　removed　from　the　target；　fifty　feet　away。
　　　　〃Why　are　we　doing　round　targets　anyway？〃　Jack　asked。
　　　　〃I　want　you　to　get　used　to　the　idea　of　placing　your　shots　exactly　where　you　want　them　to　go；〃　the　Gunny　explained。　〃We'll　sweat　the　fancy　stuff　later。　For　now　we'll　work　on　basic　skills。　You　look　a　little　looser　today。　Lieutenant。〃
　　　　〃Yeah；　well；　I　talked　to　the　FBI　guy　who　originated　the　warning。　Now　he　says　he　might　have　overreacted　　maybe　I　did；　too。〃　
　　　　Breckenridge　shrugged。　〃You　never　been　in　bat；　Lieutenant。　I　have。　One　thing　you　learn：　the　first　twitch　you　have　is　usually　right。　Keep　that　in　mind。〃
　　　　Jack　nodded；　not　believing　it。　He'd　acplished　much　today。　His　look　at　the　ULA　data　told　him　a　lot　about　the　organization；　but　there　was　not　the　first　inkling　that　they　had　ever　operated　at　all　in　America。　The　Provisional　IRA　had　plenty　of　American　connections；　but　no　one　believed　that　the　ULA　did。　Even　if　they　planned　to　do　something　here；　Ryan　judged；　they'd　need　the　connections。　It　was　possible　that　O'Donnell　might　call　on　some　of　his　previous　PIRA　friends；　but　that　seemed　most　unlikely。　He　was　a　dangerous　man；　but　only　on　his　own　turf。　And　America　wasn't　his　turf。　That's　what　the　data　said。　Jack　knew　that　this　was　too　broad　a　conclusion　to　base　on　one　day's　work；　of　course。　He'd　keep　looking　　it　seemed　that　his　investigation　would　last　two　or　three　weeks；　the　way　he　was　going。　If　nothing　else；　he　wanted　to　look　into　the　relationship　between　O'Donnell　and　the　Proves。　He　did　have　a　feeling　that　something　odd　was　going　on；　just　as　Murray　evidently　did；　and　he　wanted　to　examine　the　data　fully；　in　the　hope　of　ing　up　with　a　plausible　theory。　He　owed　CIA　something　for　its　courtesy。

　　　　The　storm　was　magnificent。　Miller　and　O'Donnell　stood　by　the　leaded…glass　windows　and　watched　as　the　Atlantic　gale　beat　the　sea　to　foaming　waves　that　slammed　against　the　base　of　the　cliff　on　which　the　house　stood。　The　crash　of　the　breaking　waves　provided　the　bass　notes；　while　the　wind　howled　and　whistled　through　the　trees　and　raindrops　beat　their　tattoo　against　the　house　itself。
　　　　〃Not　a　day　to　be　sailing；　Sean；〃　O'Donnell　said　as　he　sipped　at　a　whiskey。
　　　　〃When　do　our　colleagues　go　to　America？〃
　　　　〃Three　weeks。　Not　much　time。　Do　you　still　want　to　do　it？〃　The　chief　of　the　ULA　thought　the　timing　marginal　for　what　Sean　planned。
　　　　〃This　is　not　an　opportunity　to　be　missed；　Kevin；〃　Miller　answered　evenly。
　　　　〃Do　you　have　another　motive？〃　O'Donnell　asked。　Better　to　get　it　in　the　open；　he　decided。
　　　　〃Consider　the　ramifications。　The　Provisionals　go　over　to　proclaim　their　innocence　and　〃
　　　　〃Yes；　I　know。　It　is　a　fine　opportunity。　Very　well。　When　do　you　want　to　leave？〃
　　　　〃Wednesday　morning。　We　must　move　quickly。　Even　with　our　contacts；　it　won't　be　easy。〃

Chapter　13　Visitors

　　　　The　two　men　hunched　over　the　blow…up　of　the　map；　flanked　by　several　eight…by…ten　photographs。
　　　　〃This　is　going　to　be　the　hard　one；〃　Alex　said。　〃This　one　I　can't　help　you　with。〃
　　　　〃What's　the　problem？〃　Scan　could　see　it；　but　by　asking　the　question　he　could　also　gauge　the　skill　of　his　new　associate。　He'd　never　worked　with　a　black　before；　and　though　he'd　met　Alex　and　members　of　his　group　the　year　before；　both　were　unknown　quantities；　at　least　in　an　operational　sense。
　　　　〃He　always　es　out　by　Gate　Three；　here。　This　street；　as　you　see；　is　a　dead　end。　He　has　to　go　straight　west　or　turn　north　ing　out。　He　has　done　both。　This　street　here　is　wide　enough　to　do　the　job　from　a　car；　but　this　one　　too　narrow；　and　it　leads　the　wrong　way。　That　means　the　only　sure　spot　is　right　here；　at　the　corner。　Traffic　lights　here　and　here。〃　Alex　pointed。　〃Both　these　streets　are　narrow　and　always　have　cars　parked　on　both　sides。　This　building　is　apartments。　These　are　houses　　expensive　ones。　There　isn't　much　pedestrian　traffic　here；　oddly　enough。　One　man　can　probably　get　by。　Two　or　more；　uh…uh。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃And　it's　a　white　area。　A　black　man　would　be　conspicuous。　Your　guy　has　to　wing　this　one　alone；　pal；　and　he's　gotta　be　on　foot。　Probably　inside　this　door　is　the　best　place；　but　he'll　have　to　be　on　his　toes　or　the　target　will　get　away。〃　
　　　　〃How　does　he　get　out？〃　Sean　asked。
　　　　〃I　can　park　a　car　around　this　corner；　or　this　one。　Timing　for　that　is　not　a　concern。　We　can　wait　all　day　for　the　right　slot。　We　have　a　choice　of　escape　routes。　That's　no　problem　either。　At　rush　hour　the　streets　are　crowded。　That　actually　works　for　us。　The　cops　will　have　trouble　responding；　and　we　can　use　a　car　that　looks　ordinary；　like　a　state…owned　one。　They　can't　stop　all　of　them。　Getaway　is　easy。　The　problem　is　your　man。　He　has　to　be　right　here。〃　
　　　　〃Why　not　catch　him　in　his　car