tc.redrabbit-第123部分

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on　ten　minutes　before。
　　　〃That　bad？〃　Greer　asked。
　　　〃That　bad；〃　the　DCI　confirmed。　〃He　wants　to　know　who　did　it　and　why；　and　he'd　prefer　to　know　before　lunch。〃
　　　〃That's　not　possible；〃　Ritter　said。
　　　〃There's　the　phone；　Bob。　You　call　him　and　tell　him　that；〃　the　Judge　suggested。　None　of　them　had　ever　seen　the　President　angry。　It　was；　for　the　most　part；　something　people　tried　to　avoid。
　　　〃So；　Jack　was　right？〃　Greer　offered。
　　　〃He　might　have　made　a　good　guess。　But　he　didn't　stop　it　from　happening；　either；〃　Ritter　observed。
　　　〃Well；　it　gives　you　something　to　say；　Arthur；〃　Greer　said；　with　a　little　hope　in　his　voice。
　　　〃Maybe　so。　I　wonder　how　good　Italian　doctors　are。〃
　　　〃What　do　we　know？〃　Greer　asked。　〃Anything？〃
　　　〃One　serious　bullet　wound　in　the　chest。　The　President　ought　to　be　able　to　identify　with　that；〃　Moore　thought　out　loud。　〃Two　other　hits；　but　not　serious　ones。〃
　　　〃So；　call　Charlie　Weathers　up　at　Harvard　and　ask　him　what　the　likely　prognosis　is。〃　This　was　from　Ritter。
　　　〃The　President's　already　talked　to　the　meatball　surgeons　at　Walter　Reed。　They're　hopeful　but　nonmittal。〃
　　　〃I'm　sure　they　all　say；　'If　I　was　on　it；　it'd　be　okay。'　〃　Greer　had　experience　with　military　doctors。　Fighter　pilots　were　shrinking　violets　next　to　battlefield　surgeons。
　　　〃I'm　going　to　call　Basil　and　have　the　Rabbit　flown　here　as　soon　as　the　Air　Force　can　get　a　plane　ready。　If　Ryan's　available…they　ought　to　be　flying　him　back　from　Rome　right　now；　if　I　know　Basil…I　want　him　on　the　aircraft；　too。〃
　　　〃Why？〃　Ritter　asked。
　　　〃So　he　can　brief　us…maybe　the　President；　too…on　his　threat　analysis　prior　to　the　event。〃
　　　〃Christ；　Arthur。〃　Greer　nearly　exploded。　〃They　told　us　about　the　threat　four；　five　days　ago。〃
　　　〃But　we　wanted　to　interview　the　guy　ourselves；〃　Moore　acknowledged。　〃I　know；　James；　I　know。〃
　　　Ryan　followed　Mick　King　off　the　airliner。　At　the　bottom　of　the　steps　was　somebody　who　had　to　be　from　Century　House。　Ryan　saw　that　the　man　was　staring　right　at　him。
　　　〃Dr。　Ryan；　could　you　e　with　me；　please？　We'll　have　a　man　get　your　bags；〃　the　fellow　promised。
　　　〃Where　now？〃
　　　〃We　have　a　helicopter　to　take　you　to　RAF　Mildenhall；　and…〃
　　　〃My　ass。　I　don't　do　helicopters　since　one　nearly　killed　me。　How　far　is　it？〃
　　　〃An　hour　and　a　half's　drive。〃
　　　〃Good。　Get　a　car；〃　Jack　ordered。　Then　he　turned。　〃Thanks　for　the　try；　guys。〃　Sparrow；　King；　and　the　rest　shook　his　hand。　They　had　indeed　all　tried；　even　though　no　one　would　ever　know　about　their　effort。　Then　Jack　wondered　what　Tom　Sharp　would　be　doing　with　Strokov；　and　decided　that　Mick　King　was　right。　He　really　didn't　want　to　know。
　　　RAF　Mildenhall　is　just　north　of　Cambridge；　the　home　of　one　of　the　world's　great　universities；　and　Ryan's　driver　was　in　another　Jaguar；　and　didn't　much　care　about　whatever　speed　limits　there　were　on　British　roads。　When　they　pulled　past　the　RAF　Ground　Defense　Regiment's　security　troops；　the　car　didn't　go　to　the　aircraft　waiting　there　on　the　ramp；　but　rather　to　a　low　building　that　looked　like…and　was…a　VIP　terminal。　There；　a　man　handed　Ryan　a　telex　that　took　about　twenty　seconds　to　read　and　resulted　in　a　muttered　〃Great。〃　Then　Jack　found　a　phone　and　called　home。
　　　〃Jack？〃　his　wife　said　when　she　recognized　his　voice。　〃Where　the　hell　are　you？〃　She　must　have　been　exercised。　Cathy　Ryan　didn't　ordinarily　talk　like　that。
　　　〃I'm　at　RAF　Mildenhall。　I　have　to　fly　back　to　Washington。〃
　　　〃Why？〃
　　　〃Let　me　ask　you　this；　honey：　How　good　are　Italian　doctors？〃
　　　〃You　mean…the　Pope？〃
　　　〃Yep。〃　She　couldn't　see　his　tired　but　curt　nod。
　　　〃Every　country　has　good　surgeons…Jack；　what's　going　on？　Were　you　there？〃
　　　〃Cath；　I　was　about　forty　feet　away；　but　I　can't　tell　you　any　more　than　that；　and　you　can't　repeat　it　to　anybody；　okay？〃
　　　〃Okay；〃　she　replied；　with　wonder　and　frustration　in　her　voice。　〃When　will　you　be　home？〃
　　　〃Probably　in　a　couple　of　days。　I　have　to　talk　to　some　people　at　headquarters；　and　they'll　probably　send　me　right　back。　Sorry；　babe。　Business。　So；　how　good　are　the　docs　in　Italy？〃
　　　〃I'd　feel　better　if　Jack　Cammer　was　working　on　him；　but　they　have　to　have　some　good　ones。　Every　big　city　does。　The　University　of　Padua　is　about　the　oldest　medical　school　in　the　world。　Their　ophthalmologists　are　about　as　good　as　we　are　at　Hopkins。　For　general　surgery；　they　must　have　some　good　people；　but　the　guy　I　know　best　for　this　is　Jack。〃　John　Michael　Cammer　was　Chairman　of　Hopkins'　Department　of　Surgery；　holder　of　the　prestigious　Halstead　Chair；　and　one　hell　of　a　good　man　with　a　knife。　Cathy　knew　him　well。　Jack　had　met　him　once　or　twice　at　fund…raisers　and　been　impressed　by　his　demeanor；　but　wasn't　a　physician　and　couldn't　evaluate　the　man's　professional　abilities。　〃It's　fairly　straightforward　to　treat　a　gunshot　wound；　mostly。　Unless　the　liver　or　spleen　is　hit。　The　real　problem　is　bleeding。　Jack；　it's　like　when　Sally　got　hurt　in　the　car　with　me。　If　you　get　him　there　fast；　and　if　the　surgeon　knows　his　stuff；　you　have　a　good　chance　of　surviving…unless　the　spleen's　ruptured　or　the　liver　is　badly　lacerated。　I　saw　the　TV　coverage。　His　heart　wasn't　hit…wrong　angle。　I'd　say　better　than　even　money　he'll　recover。　He's　not　a　young　man；　and　that　won't　help；　but　a　really　good　surgical　team　can　do　miracles　if　they　get　to　him　fast　enough。〃　She　didn't　talk　about　the　nasty　variables　of　trauma　surgery。　Bullets　could　ricochet　off　ribs　and　go　in　the　most　unpredictable　directions。　They　could　fragment　and　do　damage　in　widely　separated　places。　Fundamentally；　you　couldn't　diagnose；　much　less　treat；　a　bullet　wound　from　five　seconds　of　TV　tape。　So　the　odds　on　the　Pope's　survival　were　better　than　even　money；　but　a　lot　of　5…1　horses　had　beaten　the　chalk　horse　and　won　the　Kentucky　Derby。
　　　〃Thanks；　babe。　I'll　probably　be　able　to　tell　you　more　when　I　get　home。　Hug　the　kids　for　me；　okay？〃
　　　〃You　sound　tired；〃　she　said。
　　　〃I　am　tired；　babe。　It's　been　a　busy　couple　of　days。〃　And　it　wasn't　going　to　get　any　quieter。　〃Bye　for　now。〃
　　　〃I　love　you；　Jack；〃　she　reminded　him。
　　　〃I　love　you；　too；　babe。　Thanks　for　saying　that。〃
　　　Ryan　waited　more　than　an　hour　for　the　Zaitzev　family。　So　the　offer　of　a　helicopter　would　have　just　enabled　him　to　wait　here　longer…fairly　typical　of　the　U。S。　military。　Ryan　sat　on　a　fortable　couch　and　drifted　off　to　sleep　for　perhaps　half　an　hour。
　　　The　Rabbits　arrived　by　car。　A　USAF　sergeant　shook　Jack　awake　and　pointed　him　to　the　waiting　KC…135。　It　was　essentially　a　windowless　Boeing　707；　also　equipped　to　refuel　other　aircraft。　The　lack　of　windows　didn't　help　his　attitude　very　much；　but　orders　were　orders；　and　he　climbed　up　the　steps　and　found　a　plush　leather　seat　just　forward　of　the　wing　box。　The　aircraft　had　hardly　lifted　off　the　ground　when　Oleg　fell　into　the　seat　beside　his　own。
　　　〃What　happened？〃　Zaitzev　demanded。
　　　〃We　caught　Strokov。　I　got　him　myself；　and　he　had　a　gun　in　his　hand；〃　Ryan　reported。　〃But　there　was　another　shooter。〃
　　　〃Strokov？　You　arrested　him？〃
　　　〃Not　exactly　an　arrest；　but　he　decided　to　e　with　me　to　the　British　Embassy。　SIS　has　him　now。〃
　　　〃I　hope　they　kill　the　zvoloch；〃　Zaitzev　snarled。
　　　Ryan　didn't　reply；　wondering　if　that　might　actually　happen。　Did　the　Brits　play　that　rough？　He　had　mitted　rather　a　nasty　murder　on　their　soil…hell；　within　sight　of　Century　House。
　　　〃The　Pope；　will　he　live？〃　the　Rabbit　asked。　Ryan　was　surprised　to　see　his　degree　of　interest。　Maybe　the　guy　was　a　real　conscience　defector　after　all。
　　　〃I　don't　know；　Oleg。　I　called　my　wife…she's　a　surgeon。　She　says　that　it's　better　than　a　fifty…fifty　chance　that　he　will　survive。〃
　　　〃That　is　something；〃　Zaitzev　thought　out　loud。
　　　〃Well？〃　Andropov　asked。
　　　Colonel　Rozhdestvenskiy　stood　a　little　more　erect。　〃rade　Chairman；　we　know　little　at　this　point。　Strokov's　man　took　the　shot；　as　you　know；　and　he　hit　his　target　in　a　deadly　area。　Strokov　was　unable　to　eliminate　him　as　planned；　for　reasons　unknown。　Our　Rome　rezidentura　is　working　carefully　to　discover　what　happened。　Colonel　Goderenko　is　taking　personal　charge。　We　will　know　more　when　Colonel　Strokov　flies　back　to　Sofia。　He　is　scheduled　to　be　on　the　regular　flight　at　nineteen　hours。　So；　to　this　point　it　appears　we　have　had　a　partial　success。〃
　　　〃There　is　no　such　thing　as　a　partial　success；　Colonel！〃　Andropov　pointed　out　heatedly。
　　　〃rade　Chairman；　I　told　you　weeks　ago　that　this　was　a　possibility。　You　will　recall　that。　And　even　if　this　priest　survives；　he　will　not　be　going　back　to　Poland　anytime　soon；　will　he？〃
　　　〃I　suppose　not；〃　Yuriy　Vladimirovich　grumbled。
　　　〃And　that　was　the　real　mission；　wasn't　it？〃
　　　〃Da；〃　the　Chairman　admitted。
　　　〃No　signals　as　yet？〃
　　　〃No；　rade　Chairman。　We've　had　to　break　in　a　new　watch　officer　in　munications；　and…〃
　　　〃What　is　that？〃
　　　〃Major　Zaitzev；　Oleg　Ivanovich；　he　and　his　family　died　in　a　hotel　fire　in　Budapest。　He　had　been　our　municator　for　mission　six…six…six。〃
　　　〃Why　was　I　not　informed　of　this？〃
　　　〃rade　Chairman；〃　Rozhdestvenskiy　soothed；　〃it　was　fully　investigated。　The　bodies　have　been　returned　to　Moscow　and　were　duly　buried。　They　all　died　of　smoke　inhalation。　The　autopsy　procedures　were　viewed　in　person　by　a　Soviet　physician。〃
　　　〃You　are　sure　of　this；　Colonel？〃
　　　〃I　can　get　the　official　report　to　you　if　you　wish；〃　Rozhdestvenskiy　said　with　confidence。　〃I　have　read　it　myself。〃
　　　Andropov　shook　it　off。　〃Very　well。　Keep　me　informed　on　whatever　es　in。　And　I　want　to　be　notified　at　once　of　the　condition　of　this　troublesome　Pole。〃
　　　〃By　your　order；　rade　Chairman。〃　Rozhdestvenskiy　made　his　way　out　while　the　Chairman　went　back　to　other　business。　Brezhnev's　health　had　taken　a　definite　downturn。　Very　soon　Andropov　would　have　to　step　away　from　KGB　in　order　to　protect　his　ascension　to　the　head　seat　at　the　table；　and　that　was　the　main　item　on　his　plate　at　the　moment。　And；　besides；　Rozhdestvenskiy　was　right。　This　Polish　priest　would　not　be　a　problem　for　months；　even　if　he　survived；　and　that　was　sufficient　to　the　moment。
　　　〃Well；　Arthur？〃　Ritter　asked。
　　　〃He's　calmed　down　a　little　bit。　I　told　him　about　Operation　BEATRIX。　I　told　him　that　we　and　the　Brits　had　people　right　there。　He　wants　to　meet　the　Rabbit　we　just　got　out；　personally。　So；　he's　still　pretty　pissed；　but　at　least　it's　not　at　us；〃　Moore　reported　on　his　arrival　back　from　the　White　House。