tc.patriotgames-第6部分

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ely；　no　one　seems　to　have　read　what　it　said　on　the　box。　The　guarantee　is　only　for　a　year。　Turns　out　that　sunlight　breaks　the　material　down　somehow　or　other。　The　windshield　was　no　more　use　than　ordinary　safety　glass。　Our　friend　McCrory　put　thirty　rounds　into　it；　and　it　quite　simply　shattered；　killing　the　driver　first。　The　interior　partition；　thank　God；　had　not　been　exposed　to　sunlight；　and　remained　intact。　The　last　thing　Charlie　did　was　push　the　button　to　put　it　up。　That　probably　saved　them；　too　　didn't　do　Charlie　much　good；　though。　He　had　enough　time　to　draw　his　automatic；　but　we　don't　think　he　was　able　to　get　a　shot　off。〃
　　　　Ryan　thought　back。　There　had　been　blood　in　the　back　of　the　Rolls　　not　just　blood。　The　driver's　head　had　been　blown　apart；　and　his　brains　had　scattered　into　the　passenger　partment。　Jack　winced　thinking　about　it。　The　escort　had　probably　leaned　over　to　push　the　button　before　defending　himself　。　。　。　Well；　Jack　thought；　that's　what　they　pay　them　for。　What　a　hell　of　a　way　to　earn　a　living。
　　　　〃It　was　fortunate　that　you　intervened　when　you　did。　They　both　had　hand　grenades；　you　know。〃
　　　　〃Yeah；　I　saw　one。〃　Ryan　sipped　away　the　last　of　his　tea。　〃What　the　hell　was　I　thinking　about？〃　You　weren't　thinking　at　all；　Jack。　That's　what　you　were　thinking　about。
　　　　Kittiwake　saw　Ryan　go　pale。　〃You　feel　quite　all　right？〃　she　asked。
　　　　〃I　guess。〃　Ryan　grunted　in　wonderment。　〃Dumb　as　I　was；　I　must　feel　pretty　good　　I　ought　to　be　dead。〃
　　　　〃Well；　that　most　emphatically　will　not　happen　here。〃　She　patted　his　hand。　〃Please　ring　me　if　you　need　anything。〃　Another　beaming　smile　and　she　left。
　　　　Ryan　was　still　shaking　his　head。　〃The　other　one　got　away？〃　
　　　　Wilson　nodded。　〃We　found　the　car　near　a　tube　station　a　few　blocks　away。　It　was　stolen；　of　course。　No　real　problem　for　him　to　get　clean　away。　Disappear　into　the　underground。　Go　to　Heathrow；　perhaps；　and　catch　a　plane　to　the　continent　　Brussels；　say　　then　a　plane　to　Ulster　or　the　Republic；　and　a　car　the　rest　of　the　way　home。　That's　one　route；　there　are　others；　and　it's　impossible　to　cover　them　all。　He　was　drinking　beer　last　night；　watching　the　news　coverage　on　television　in　his　favorite　pub；　most　likely。　Did　you　get　a　look　at　him？〃
　　　　〃No；　just　a　shape。　I　didn't　even　think　to　get　the　tag　number　　dumb。　Right　after　that　the　redcoat　came　running　up　to　me。〃　Ryan　winced　again。　〃Christ；　I　thought　he'd　put　that　pigsticker　right　through　me。　For　a　second　there　I　could　see　it　all　　I　do　something　right；　then　get　wasted　by　a　good　guy。〃

　　　　Wilson　laughed。　〃You　don't　know　how　lucky　you　were。　The　current　guard　force　is　from　the　Welsh　Guards。〃　
　　　　〃So？〃
　　　　〃His　Royal　Highness's　own　regiment；　as　it　were。　He's　their　colonel…in…chief。　There　you　were　with　a　pistol　　how　would　you　expect　him　to　react？〃　Wilson　stubbed　out　his　cigarette。　〃Another　piece　of　good　luck；　your　wife　and　daughter　came　running　up　to　you；　and　the　soldier　decides　to　wait　a　bit；　just　long　enough　for　things　to　sort　themselves　out。　Then　our　chap　catches　up　with　him　and　tells　him　to　stand　easy。　And　a　hundred　more　of　my　chaps　e　swooping　in。
　　　　〃I　hope　you　can　appreciate　this；　Doctor。　Here　we　were　with　three　men　dead；　two　others　wounded；　a　Prince　and　Princess　looking　as　though　they'd　been　shot　　your　wife　examined　them　on　the　scene；　by　the　way；　and　pronounced　them　fit　just　before　the　ambulance　arrived　　a　baby；　a　hundred　witnesses　each　with　his　own　version　of　what　had　just　taken　place。　A　bloody　Yank　　an　Irish…American　to　boot！　　whose　wife　claims　he's　the　chap　in　the　white　hat。〃　Wilson　laughed　again。　〃Total　chaos！
　　　　〃First　order　of　business；　of　course；　was　to　get　the　Royals　to　safety。　The　police　and　guardsmen　handled　that；　probably　praying　by　this　time　that　someone　would　make　trouble。　They're　still　in　an　evil　mood；　they　tell　me；　angrier　even　than　from　the　bandstand　bombing　incident。　Not　hard　to　understand。　Anyway；　your　wife　flatly　refused　to　leave　your　side　until　you　were　under　doctor's　care　here。　Quite　a　forceful　woman；　they　tell　me。〃
　　　　〃Cathy's　a　surgeon；〃　Ryan　explained。　〃When　she　plays　doc；　she's　used　to　having　her　own　way。　Surgeons　are　like　that。〃　
　　　　〃After　she　was　quite　satisfied　we　drove　her　down　to　the　Yard。　Meanwhile　we　had　a　merry　time　identifying　you。　They　called　your　Legal　Attache　at　the　American　Embassy　and　he　ran　a　check　through　your　FBI；　plus　a　backup　check　through　the　Marine　Corps。〃　Ryan　stole　a　cigarette　from　Wilson's　pack。　The　policeman　lit　it　with　a　butane　lighter。　Jack　gagged　on　the　smoke；　but　he　needed　it。　Cathy　would　give　him　hell　for　it；　he　knew；　but　one　thing　at　a　time。　〃Mind　you；　we　never　really　thought　you　were　one　of　them。　Have　to　be　a　maniac　to　bring　the　wife　and　child　along　on　this　sort　of　job。　But　one　must　be　careful。〃
　　　　Ryan　nodded　agreement；　briefly　dizzy　from　the　smoke。　How'd　they　know　to　check　through　the　Corps　。　。　。　oh；　my　Marine　Corps　Association　card　。　。　。　
　　　　〃In　any　event　we　have　things　pretty　well　sorted　out。　Your　government　are　sending　us　everything　we　need　　probably　here　by　now；　actually。〃　Wilson　checked　his　watch。　

　　　　〃My　family's　all　right？〃
　　　　Wilson　smiled　in　rather　an　odd　way。　〃They　are　being　very　well　looked　after。　Doctor　Ryan。　You　have　my　word　on　that。〃　
　　　　〃The　name's　Jack。〃
　　　　〃Fine。　I'm　known　to　my　friends　as　Tony。〃　They　finally　got　around　to　shaking　hands。　〃And　as　I　said；　you're　a　bloody　hero。　Care　to　see　what　the　press　have　to　say？〃　He　handed　Ryan　a　Daily　Mirror　and　a　Times。　
　　　　〃Dear　God！〃
　　　　The　tabloid　Mirror's　front　page　was　almost　entirely　a　color　photograph　of　himself；　sitting　unconscious　against　the　Rolls。　His　chest　was　a　scarlet　mass。　
ATTEMPT　ON　HRH　　MARINE　TO　THE　RESCUE

　　　　A　bold　attempt　to　assassinate　Their　Royal　Highnesses　the　Prince　and　Princess　of　Wales　within　sight　of　Buckingham　Palace　was　thwarted　today　by　the　courage　of　an　American　tourist。
　　　　John　Patrick　Ryan；　an　historian　and　formerly　a　lieutenant　in　the　United　States　Marines；　dashed　barehanded　into　a　pitched　battle　on　The　Mall　as　over　a　hundred　Londoners　watched　in　shocked　disbelief。　Ryan；　31；　of　Annapolis；　Maryland；　successfully　disabled　one　gunman　and；　taking　his　weapon；　shot　another　dead。　Ryan　himself　was　seriously　wounded　in　the　exchange。　He　was　taken　by　ambulance　to　St。　Thomas's　Hospital；　where　emergency　surgery　was　successfully　performed　by　Sir　Charles　Scott。
　　　　A　third　terrorist　is　reported　to　have　escaped　the　scene；　by　running　east　on　The　Mall；　then　turning　north　on　Marlborough　Road。
　　　　Senior　police　officials　were　unanimous　in　their　opinion　that；　but　for　Ryan's　courageous　intervention。　Their　Highnesses　would　certainly　have　been　slain。

　　　　Ryan　turned　the　page　to　see　another　color　photograph　of　himself　in　happier　circumstances。　It　was　his　graduation　photo　from　Quantico；　and　he　had　to　smile　at　himself；　resplendent；　then；　in　blue　high…necked　blouse；　two　shiny　gold　bars；　and　the　Mamaluke　sword。　It　was　one　of　the　few　decent　photographs　ever　taken　of　him。
　　　　〃Where　did　they　get　this？〃
　　　　〃Oh；　your　Marine　chaps　were　most　helpful。　In　fact；　one　of　your　Marine　ships　　helicopter　carrier；　or　something　like　that　　is　at　Portsmouth　right　now。　I　understand　that　your　former　colleagues　are　getting　all　the　free　beer　they　can　swill。〃
　　　　Ryan　laughed　at　that。　Next　he　picked　up　the　Times；　whose　headline　was　marginally　less　lurid。

The　Prince　and　Princess　of　Wales　escaped　certain　death　this　afternoon。　Three；　possibly　four　terrorists　armed　with　hand　grenades　and　Kalashnikov　assault　rifles　lay　in　wait　for　their　Rolls…Royce；　only　to　have　their　carefully…laid　plans　foiled　by　the　bold　intervention　of　J。　P。　Ryan；　formerly　a　second　lieutenant　in　the　United　States　Marine　Corps；　and　now　an　historian　。　。　。　

　　　　Ryan　flipped　to　the　editorial　page。　The　lead　item；　signed　by　the　publisher；　screamed　for　vengeance　while　praising　Ryan；　America；　and　the　United　States　Marine　Corps；　and　thanked　Divine　Providence　with　a　flourish　worthy　of　a　Papal　Encyclical。
　　　　〃Reading　about　yourself？〃　Ryan　looked　up。　Sir　Charles　Scott　was　standing　at　the　foot　of　his　bed　with　an　aluminum　chart。　
　　　　〃First　time　I　ever　made　the　papers。〃　Ryan　set　them　down。
　　　　〃You've　earned　it；　and　it　would　seem　that　the　sleep　did　you　some　good。　How　do　you　feel？〃　
　　　　〃Not　bad；　considering。　How　am　I？〃　Ryan　asked。
　　　　〃Pulse　and　temperature　normal　　almost　normal。　Your　color　isn't　bad　at　all。　With　luck　we　might　even　avoid　a　postoperative　infection；　though　I　should　not　wish　to　give　odds　on　that；〃　the　doctor　said。　〃How　badly　does　it　hurt？〃　
　　　　〃It's　there；　but　I　can　live　with　it；〃　Ryan　answered　cautiously。
　　　　〃It　is　only　two　hours　since　your　last　medication。　I　trust　you　are　not　one　of　those　thickheaded　fools　who　do　not　want　pain　medications？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　I　am；〃　Ryan　said。　He　went　on　slowly。　〃Doctor；　I've　been　through　this　twice　before。　The　first　time；　they　gave　me　too　much　of　the　stuff；　and　ing　off　was　　I'd　just　as　soon　not　go　through　that　again；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。〃
　　　　Ryan's　career　in　the　Marine　Corps　had　ended　after　a　mere　three　months　with　a　helicopter　crash　on　the　shores　of　Crete　during　a　NATO　exercise。　The　resulting　back　injury　had　sent　Ryan　to　Bethesda　Naval　Medical　Center；　outside　Washington；　where　the　doctors　had　been　a　little　too　generous　with　their　pain　medications；　and　Ryan　had　taken　two　weeks　t