tc.patriotgames-第8部分

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。　〃Ha！　It　still　works！〃
　　　　〃What　exactly　is　that　thing？〃　Ashley　wanted　to　know。　All　three　got　out　of　their　chairs　to　look　at　it。
　　　　〃This　is　my　baby。〃　Ryan　grinned。　On　opening　the　clipboard　he　revealed　a　typewriter…style　keyboard　and　a　yellow　Liquid　Crystal　Diode　display。　Outwardly　it　looked　like　an　expensive　clipboard；　about　an　inch　thick　and　bound　in　leather。　〃It's　a　Cambridge　Datamaster　Model…C　Field　puter。　A　friend　of　mine　makes　them。　It　has　an　MC…68000　microprocessor；　and　two　megabytes　of　bubble　memory。〃　
　　　　〃Care　to　translate　that？〃　Taylor　asked。
　　　　〃Sorry。　It's　a　portable　puter。　The　microprocessor　is　what　does　the　actual　work。　Two　megabytes　means　that　the　memory　stores　up　to　two　million　characters　　enough　for　a　whole　book　　and　since　it　uses　bubble　memory；　you　don't　lose　the　information　when　you　switch　it　off。　A　guy　I　went　to　school　with　set　up　a　pany　to　make　these　little　darlings。　He　hit　on　me　for　some　start…up　capital。　I　use　an　Apple　at　home；　this　one's　just　for　carrying　around。〃
　　　　〃We　knew　it　was　some　sort　of　puter；　but　our　chaps　couldn't　make　it　work；〃　Ashley　said。
　　　　〃Security　device。　The　first　time　you　use　it；　you　input　your　user's　code　and　activate　the　lockout。　Afterward；　unless　you　type　in　the　code；　it　doesn't　work　　period。〃　
　　　　〃Indeed？〃　Ashley　observed。　〃How　foolproof？〃　
　　　　〃You'd　have　to　ask　Fred。　Maybe　you　could　read　the　data　right　off　the　bubble　chips。　I　don't　know　how　puters　work。　I　just　use　'em；〃　Ryan　explained。　〃Anyway；　here　are　my　notes。〃　
　　　　〃Getting　back　to　your　activities　of　yesterday；〃　Owens　said；　giving　Ashley　a　cool　look。　〃We　now　have　you　to　noon。〃　
　　　　〃Okay。　I　broke　for　lunch。　A　guy　on　the　ground　floor　directed　me　to　a　　a　pub；　I　guess；　two　blocks　away。　I　don't　remember　the　name　of　the　place。　I　had　a　sandwich　and　a　beer　while　I　played　with　this　thing。　That　took　about　half　an　hour。　I　spent　another　hour　at　the　Admiralty　building　before　I　checked　out。　Left　about　quarter　of　two；　I　suppose。　I　thanked　Admiral　Woodson　　very　good　man。　I　caught　a　cab　to　　don't　remember　the　address；　it　was　on　one　of　my　letters。　North　of　　Regent's　Park；　I　think。　Admiral　Sir　Roger　DeVere。　He　served　under　Somerville。　He　wasn't　there。　His　housekeeper　said　he　got　called　out　of　town　suddenly　due　to　a　death　in　the　family。　So　I　left　a　message　that　I'd　been　there　and　flagged　another　cab　back　downtown。　I　decided　to　get　out　a　few　blocks　early　and　walk　the　rest　of　the　way。〃　
　　　　〃Why？〃　Taylor　asked。
　　　　〃Mainly　I　was　stiff　from　all　the　sitting　　in　the　Admiralty　building；　the　flight；　the　cab。　I　needed　a　stretch。　I　usually　jog　every　day；　and　I　get　restless　when　I　miss　it。〃　
　　　　〃Where　did　you　get　out？〃　Owens　asked。
　　　　〃I　don't　know　the　name　of　the　street。　If　you　show　me　a　map　I　can　probably　point　it　out。〃　Owens　nodded　for　him　to　go　on。　〃Anyway；　I　nearly　got　run　over　by　a　double…decker　bus；　and　one　of　your　uniformed　cops　told　me　not　to　jaywalk　〃　Owens　looked　surprised　at　that　and　scribbled　some　notes。　Perhaps　they　hadn't　learned　of　that　encounter。　〃I　picked　up　a　magazine　at　a　street　stand　and　met　Cathy　about；　oh；　three…forty　or　so。　They　were　early；　too。〃
　　　　〃And　how　had　she　spent　her　day？〃　Ashley　inquired。　Ryan　was　certain　that　they　had　this　information　already。
　　　　〃Shopping；　mainly。　Cathy's　been　over　here　a　few　times；　and　likes　to　shop　in　London。　She　was　last　here　about　three　years　ago　for　a　surgical　convention；　but　I　couldn't　make　the　trip。〃　
　　　　〃Left　you　with　the　little　one？〃　Ashley　smiled　thinly　again。　Ryan　sensed　that　Owens　was　annoyed　with　him。
　　　　〃Grandparents。　That　was　before　her　mom　died。　I　was　doing　ps　for　my　doctorate　at　Georgetown；　couldn't　get　out　of　it。　As　it　was　I　got　my　degree　in　two　and　a　half　years；　and　I　sweated　blood　that　last　year　between　the　university　and　seminars　at　the　Center　for　Strategic　and　International　Studies。　This　was　supposed　to　be　a　vacation。〃　Ryan　grimaced。　〃The　first　real　vacation　since　our　honeymoon。〃
　　　　〃What　were　you　doing　when　the　attack　took　place？〃　Owens　got　things　back　on　track。　All　three　inquisitors　seemed　to　lean　forward　in　their　seats。
　　　　〃Looking　the　wrong　way。　We　were　talking　about　what　we'd　do　for　dinner　when　the　grenade　went　off。〃　
　　　　〃You　knew　it　was　a　grenade？〃　Taylor　asked。
　　　　Ryan　nodded。　〃Yeah。　They　make　a　distinctive　sound。　I　hate　the　damned　things；　but　that's　one　of　the　little　toys　the　Marines　trained　me　to　use　at　Quantico。　Same　thing　with　the　machine…gunner。　At　Quantico　we　were　exposed　to　East　Bloc　weapons。　I've　handled　the　AK…47。　The　sound　it　makes　is　different　from　our　stuff；　and　that's　a　useful　thing　to　know　in　bat。　How　e　they　didn't　both　have　AKs？〃
　　　　〃As　near　as　we　can　determine；〃　Owens　said；　〃the　man　you　wounded　disabled　the　car　with　a　rifle…launched　antitank　grenade。　Forensic　evidence　points　to　this。　His　rifle；　therefore；　was　probably　one　of　the　new　AK…74s；　the　small…caliber　one；　fitted　to　launch　grenades。　Evidently　he　didn't　have　time　to　remove　the　grenade…launcher　assembly　and　decided　to　press　on　with　his　pistol。　He　had　a　stick　grenade　also；　you　know。〃　Jack　didn't　know　about　the　rifle　grenade；　but　the　type　of　hand　grenade　he'd　seen　suddenly　leaped　out　of　his　memory。
　　　　〃The　antitank　kind？〃　Ryan　asked。
　　　　〃You　know　about　that；　do　you？〃　Ashley　responded。
　　　　〃I　used　to　be　a　Marine；　remember？　Called　the　RKG…something；　isn't　it？　Supposed　to　be　able　to　punch　a　hole　in　a　light　armored　vehicle　or　rip　up　a　truck　pretty　good。〃　Where　the　hell　did　they　get　those　little　rascals　　and　why　didn't　they　use　them　。　。　。？　You're　missing　something。　Jack。　
　　　　〃Then　what？〃　Owens　asked。
　　　　〃First　thing；　I　got　my　wife　and　kid　down　on　the　deck。　The　traffic　stopped　pretty　quick。　I　kept　my　head　up　to　see　what　was　happening。〃　
　　　　〃Why？〃　Taylor　inquired。
　　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Ryan　said　slowly。　〃Training；　maybe。　I　wanted　to　see　what　the　hell　was　going　on　　call　it　stupid　curiosity。　I　saw　the　one　guy　hosing　down　the　Rolls　and　the　other　one　hustling　around　the　back；　like　he　was　trying　to　bag　anyone　who　tried　to　jump　out　of　the　car。　I　saw　that　if　I　moved　to　my　left　I　could　get　closer。　I　was　screened　by　the　stopped　cars。　All　of　a　sudden　I　was　within　fifty　feet　or　so。　The　AK　gunner　was　screened　behind　the　Rolls；　and　the　pistolero　had　his　back　to　me。　I　saw　that　I　had　a　chance；　and　I　guess　I　took　it。〃　
　　　　〃Why？〃　It　was　Owens　this　time；　very　quiet。
　　　　〃Good　question。　I　don't　know；　I　really　don't。〃　Ryan　was　silent　for　half　a　minute。　〃It　made　me　mad。　Everyone　I've　met　over　here　so　far　has　been　pretty　nice；　and　all　of　a　sudden　I　see　these　two　cocksuckers　mitting　murder　right　the　hell　in　front　of　me。〃　
　　　　〃Did　you　guess　who　they　were？〃　Taylor　asked。
　　　　〃Doesn't　take　much　imagination；　does　it？　That　pissed　me　off；　too。　I　guess　that's　it　　anger。　Maybe　that's　what　motivates　people　in　bat；〃　Ryan　mused。　〃I'll　have　to　think　about　that。　Anyway；　like　I　said；　I　saw　the　chance　and　I　took　it。
　　　　〃It　was　easy　　I　was　very　lucky。〃　Owens'　eyebrows　went　up　at　that　understatement。　〃The　guy　with　the　pistol　was　dumb。　He　should　have　checked　his　back。　Instead　he　just　kept　looking　at　his　kill　zone　　very　dumb。　You　always　'check…six。'　I　blindsided　him。〃　Ryan　grinned。　〃My　coach　would　have　been　proud　　I　really　stuck　him　good。　But　I　guess　I　ought　to　have　had　my　pads　on；　'cause　the　doc　says　I　broke　something　up　here　when　I　hit　him。　He　went　down　pretty　hard。　I　got　his　gun　and　shot　him　　you　want　to　know　why　I　did　that；　right？〃　
　　　　〃Yes；〃　Owens　replied。　
　　　　〃I　didn't　want　him　to　get　up。〃
　　　　〃He　was　unconscious　　he　didn't　wake　up　for　two　hours；　and　had　a　nasty　concussion　when　he　did。〃
　　　　If　I'd　known　he　had　that　grenade；　I　wouldn't　have　shot　him　in　the　ass！　〃How　was　I　supposed　to　know　that？〃　Ryan　asked　reasonably。　〃I　was　about　to　go　up　against　somebody　with　a　light　machine　gun；　and　I　didn't　need　a　bad　guy　behind　me。　So　I　neutralized　him。　I　could　have　put　one　through　the　back　of　his　head　　at　Quantico　when　they　say　'neutralize；'　they　mean　kill。　My　dad　was　the　cop。　Most　of　what　I　know　about　police　procedures　es　from　watching　TV；　and　I　know　most　of　that's　wrong。　All　I　knew　was　that　I　couldn't　afford　to　have　him　e　at　me　from　behind。　I　can't　say　I'm　especially　proud　of　it；　but　at　the　time　it　seemed　like　a　good　idea。
　　　　〃I　moved　around　the　right…rear　corner　of　the　car　and　looked　around。　I　saw　the　guy　was　using　a　pistol。　Your　man　Wilson　explained　that　to　me　　that　was　lucky；　too。　I　wasn't　real　crazy　about　taking　an　AK　on　with　a　dinky　little　handgun。　He　saw　me　e　around。　We　both　fired　about　the　same　time　　I　just　shot　straighter；　I　guess。〃
　　　　Ryan　stopped。　He　hadn't　meant　it　to　sound　like　that。　Is　that　how　it　was？　If　you　don't　know；　who　does？　Ryan　had　learned　that　in　a　crisis；　time　presses　and　dilates　　seemingly　at　the　same　time。　It　also　fools　your　memory；　doesn't　it？　What　else　could　I　have　done？　He　shook　his　head。
　　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said　again。　〃Maybe　I　should　have　tried　something　else。　Maybe　I　should　have　said；　'Drop　it！'　or　'Freeze！'　like　they　do　on　TV　　but　there　just　wasn't　time。　Everything　was　right　now　　him　or　me　　do　you　know　what　I　mean？　You　don't　。　。　。　you　don't　reason　all　this　out　when　you　only　have　half　a　second　of　decision　time。　I　guess　you　go　on　training　and　instinct。　The　only　training　I've　had　was　in　the　Green　Machine；　the　Corps；　They　don't　teach　you　to　arrest　people　　Christ's　sak