tc.patriotgames-第9部分

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ng　I've　had　was　in　the　Green　Machine；　the　Corps；　They　don't　teach　you　to　arrest　people　　Christ's　sake；　I　didn't　want　to　kill　anybody；　I　just　didn't　have　a　hell　of　a　choice　in　the　matter。〃　Ryan　paused　for　a　moment。
　　　　〃Why　didn't　he　　quit；　run　away；　something！　He　saw　I　had　him。　He　must　have　known　I　had　him　cold。〃　Ryan　slumped　back　into　the　pillow。　Having　to　articulate　what　had　happened　brought　it　back　all　too　vividly。　A　man　is　dead　because　of　you。　Jack。　All　the　way　dead。　He　had　his　instincts；　too；　didn't　he？　But　yours　worked　better　　so　why　doesn't　that　make　you　feel　good？
　　　　〃Doctor　Ryan；〃　Owens　said　calmly；　〃we　three　have　personally　interviewed　six　people；　all　of　whom　had　a　clear　view　of　the　incident。　From　what　they　have　told　us；　you　have　related　the　circumstances　to　us　with　remarkable　clarity。　Given　the　facts　of　the　matter；　I　　we　　do　not　see　that　you　had　any　choice　at　all。　It　is　as　certain　as　such　things　can　possibly　be　that　you　did　precisely　the　right　thing。　And　your　second　shot　did　not　matter；　if　that　is　troubling　you。　Your　first　went　straight　through　his　heart。〃　
　　　　Jack　nodded。　〃Yeah；　I　could　see　that。　The　second　shot　was　pletely　automatic；　like　my　hand　did　it　without　being　told。　The　gun　came　back　down　and　zap！　No　thought　at　all　。　。　。　funny　how　your　brain　works。　It's　like　one　part　does　the　doing　and　another　part　does　the　watching　and　advising。　The　'watching'　part　saw　the　first　round　go　right　through　his　ten…ring；　but　the　'doing'　part　kept　going　till　he　went　down。　I　might　have　tried　to　squeeze　off　another　round　for　all　I　know；　but　the　gun　was　empty。〃
　　　　〃The　Marines　taught　you　to　shoot　very　well　indeed；〃　Taylor　observed。
　　　　Ryan　shook　his　head。　〃Dad　taught　me　when　I　was　a　kid。　The　Corps　doesn't　make　a　big　deal　about　pistols　anymore　　they're　just　for　show。　If　the　bad　guys　get　that　close；　it's　time　to　leave。　I　carried　a　rifle。　Anyway；　the　guy　was　only　fifteen　feet　away。〃　Owens　made　some　more　notes。
　　　　〃The　car　took　off　a　few　seconds　later。　I　didn't　get　much　of　a　look　at　the　driver。　It　could　have　been　a　man　or　a　woman。　He　or　she　was　white；　that's　all　I　can　say。　The　car　went　whippin'　up　the　street　and　turned；　last　I　saw　of　it。〃
　　　　〃It　was　one　of　our　London　taxis　　did　you　notice　that？〃　Taylor　asked。
　　　　Ryan　blinked。　〃Oh；　you're　right。　I　didn't　really　think　about　that　　that's　dumb！　Hell；　you　have　a　million　of　the　damned　things　around。　No　wonder　they　used　one　of　those。〃
　　　　〃Eight　thousand　six　hundred　seventy…nine；　to　be　exact；〃　Owens　said。　〃Five　thousand　nine　hundred　nineteen　of　which　are　painted　black。〃
　　　　A　light　went　off　in　Ryan's　head。　〃Tell　me；　was　this　an　assassination　attempt　or　were　they　trying　to　kidnap　them？〃　
　　　　〃We're　not　sure　about　that。　You　might　be　interested　to　know　that　Sinn　Fein；　the　political　wing　of　the　PIRA；　released　a　statement　pletely　disowning　the　incident。〃
　　　　〃You　believe　that？〃　Ryan　asked。　With　pain　medications　still　coursing　through　his　system；　he　didn't　quite　notice　how　skillfully　Taylor　had　parried　his　question。
　　　　〃Yes；　we　are　leaning　in　that　direction。　Even　the　Proves　aren't　this　crazy；　you　know。　Something　like　this　has　far　too　high　a　political　price。　They　learned　that　much　from　killing　Lord　Mountbatten　　wasn't　even　the　PIRA　who　did　that；　but　the　INLA；　the　Irish　National　Liberation　Army。　Regardless；　it　cost　them　a　lot　of　money　from　their　American　sympathizers；〃　Taylor　said。　
　　　　〃I　see　from　the　papers　that　your　fellow　citizens　〃　
　　　　〃Subjects；〃　Ashley　corrected。
　　　　〃Whatever；　your　people　are　pretty　worked　up　about　this。〃　
　　　　〃Indeed　they　are；　Doctor　Ryan。　It　is　rather　remarkable　how　terrorists　can　always　seem　to　find　a　way　to　shock　us；　no　matter　what　horrors　have　gone　before；〃　Owens　noted。　His　voice　was　wholly　professional；　but　Ryan　sensed　that　the　chief　of　Anti…Terrorist　Branch　was　willing　to　rip　the　head　right　off　the　surviving　terrorist　with　his　bare　hands。　They　looked　strong　enough　to　do　just　that。　〃So　what　happened　next？〃
　　　　〃I　made　sure　the　guy　I　shot　　the　second　one　　was　dead。　Then　I　checked　the　car。　The　driver　　well；　you　know　about　that；　and　the　security　officer。　One　of　your　people；　Mr。　Owens？〃　
　　　　〃Charlie　was　a　friend　of　mine。　He's　been　with　the　Royal　Family's　security　detail　for　three　years　now　。　。　。　〃　Owens　spoke　almost　as　though　the　man　were　still　alive；　and　Ryan　wondered　if　they　had　ever　worked　together。　Police　make　especially　close　friendships；　he　knew。
　　　　〃Well；　you　guys　know　the　rest。　I　hope　somebody　gives　that　redcoat　a　pat　on　the　head。　Thank　God　he　took　the　time　to　think　it　all　out　　at　least　long　enough　for　your　guy　to　show　up　and　calm　him　down。　Would　have　been　embarrassing　for　everybody　if　he'd　stuck　that　bayonet　out　my　back。〃　
　　　　Owens　grunted　agreement。　〃Indeed　it　would。〃　
　　　　〃Was　that　rifle　loaded？〃　Ryan　asked。
　　　　〃If　it　was；〃　Ashley　replied；　〃why　didn't　he　shoot？〃　
　　　　〃A　crowded　street　isn't　the　best　place　to　use　a　high…powered　rifle；　even　if　you're　sure　of　your　target；〃　Ryan　answered。　〃It　was　loaded；　wasn't　it？〃　
　　　　〃We　cannot　discuss　security　matters；〃　Owens　said。
　　　　I　knew　it　was　loaded；　Ryan　told　himself。　〃Where　the　hell　did　he　e　from；　anyway？　The　Palace　is　a　good　ways　off。〃　
　　　　〃Clarence　House　　the　white　building　adjoining　St。　James's　Palace。　The　terrorists　picked　a　bad　time　　or　perhaps　a　bad　place　　for　their　attack。　There　is　a　guard　post　at　the　southwest　corner　of　the　building。　The　guard　changes　every　two　hours。　When　the　attack　took　place；　the　change　was　just　under　way。　That　meant　that　four　soldiers　were　there　at　the　time；　not　just　one。　The　police　on　duty　at　the　Palace　heard　the　explosion　and　automatic　fire。　The　Sergeant　in　charge　ran　to　the　gate　to　see　what　was　going　on　and　yelled　for　a　guardsman　to　follow。〃
　　　　〃He's　the　one　who　sounded　the　alarm；　right？　That's　how　the　rest　of　them　arrived　so　fast？〃
　　　　〃Charlie　Winston；〃　Owens　said。　〃The　Rolls　has　an　electronic　attack　alarm　　you　don't　need　to　tell　anyone　that。　That　alerted　headquarters。　Sergeant　Price　acted　entirely　on　his　own　initiative。　Unfortunately　for　him；　the　guardsman　was　a　hurdler　　the　lad　runs　track　and　field　　and　vaulted　the　barriers　there。　Price　tried　to　do　it　also；　but　he　fell　down　and　broke　his　nose。　He　had　a　devil　of　a　time　catching　up；　plus　sending　out　his　own　alarm　on　his　portable　radio。〃
　　　　〃Well；　I'm　glad　he　caught　up　when　he　did。　That　trooper　scared　the　hell　out　of　me。　I　hope　your　Sergeant　gets　a　pat　on　the　head；　too。〃
　　　　〃The　Queen's　Police　Medal　for　starters；　and　the　thanks　of　Her　Majesty；〃　Ashley　said。　〃One　thing　that　has　confused　us。　Doctor　Ryan。　You　left　the　military　with　a　physical　disability；　yet　you　evidenced　none　of　this　yesterday。〃
　　　　〃You　know　that　after　I　left　the　Corps；　I　went　into　the　brokerage　business。　I　made　something　of　a　name　for　myself；　and　Cathy's　father　came　down　to　talk　to　me。　That's　when　I　met　Cathy。　I　passed　on　the　invitation　to　move　to　New　York；　but　Cathy　and　I　hit　it　right　off。　One　thing　led　to　another；　and　pretty　soon　we　were　engaged。　I　wore　a　back　brace　then；　because　every　so　often　my　back　would　go　bad　on　me。　Well；　it　happened　again　right　after　we　got　engaged；　and　Cathy　took　me　into　Johns　Hopkins　to　have　one　of　her　teachers　check　me　out。　One　was　Stanley　Rabinowisz；　professor　of　neurosurgery　there。　He　ran　me　through　three　days　of　tests　and　said　he　could　fix　me　good　as　new。
　　　　〃It　turned　out　that　the　docs　at　Bethesda　had　goofed　my　myelogram。　No　reflection　on　them；　they　were　sharp　young　docs；　but　Stan's　about　the　best　there　is。　Good　as　his　word；　too。　He　opened　me　up　that　Friday；　and　two　months　later　I　was　almost　as　good　as　new；〃　Ryan　said。　〃Anyway；　that's　the　story　of　Ryan's　back。　I　just　happened　to　fall　in　love　with　a　pretty　girl　who　was　studying　to　be　a　surgeon。〃
　　　　〃Your　wife　is　certainly　a　most　versatile　and　petent　woman；〃　Owens　agreed。
　　　　〃And　you　found　her　pushy；〃　Ryan　observed。
　　　　〃No；　Doctor　Ryan。　People　under　stress　are　never　at　their　best。　Your　wife　also　examined　Their　Royal　Highnesses　on　the　scene；　and　that　was　most　useful　to　us。　She　refused　to　leave　your　side　until　you　were　under　petent　medical　care；　one　can　hardly　fault　her　for　that。　She　did　find　our　identification　procedures　a　touch　longwinded；　I　think；　and　she　was　quite　naturally　anxious　about　you。　We　might　have　moved　things　along　more　quickly　〃　
　　　　〃No　need　to　apologize；　sir。　My　dad　was　a　cop。　I　know　the　score。　I　understand　you　had　trouble　identifying　us。〃　
　　　　〃Just　over　three　hours　　a　timing　problem；　you　see。　We　had　your　passport　out　of　your　coat；　and　your　driving　license；　which；　we　were　glad　to　see；　had　your　photograph。　Our　initial　request　to　your　Legal　Attache　was　just　before　five；　and　that　made　it　noon　in　America。　Lunchtime；　you　see。　He　called　the　FBI's　Baltimore　field　office；　who　in　turn　called　their　Annapolis　office。　The　identification　business　is　fairly　straightforward　　first　they　had　to　find　some　chaps　at　your　Naval　Academy　who　knew　who　you　were；　when　you　came　over；　and　so　forth。　Next　they　found　the　travel　agent　who　booked　your　flight　and　hotel。　Another　agent　went　to　your　motor　vehicle　registration　agency。　Many　of　these　people　were　off　eating　lunch；　and　we　reckon　that　cost　us　roughly　an　hour。　Simultaneously　he　　the　Attache　　sent　a　query　to　your　Marine　Corps。　Within　three　hours　we　had　a　fairly　plete　history　on　you　　including　fingerprints。