tc.patriotgames-第41部分

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ld　himself；　that's　one　place　to　start　looking。　The　number　of　people　who　had　this　information　was　known　to　Owens。　Somehow　it　had　been　leaked。　He　remembered　the　report　Ashley　had　brought　back　from　Dublin。　〃So　good；　you　would　not　believe　it；〃　that　PIRA　bastard　had　said　of　O'Donnell's　intelligence　source。　Murphy　was　wrong；　the　detective　thought。　Everyone　will　believe　it　now。　
　　　　〃Back　to　London；〃　he　told　the　driver。　
　　　　〃Great　day。　Jack；〃　Robby　observed　on　the　couch。
　　　　〃Not　bad　at　all；〃　Ryan　agreed。　Of　course　the　house　looks　like　a　Toys　'R　Us　that　got　nuked　。　。　。　
　　　　In　front　of　them；　Sally　was　playing　with　her　new　toys。　She　particularly　liked　the　doll　house。　Jack　was　gratified　to　see。　His　daughter　was　winding　down；　having　gotten　her　parents　up　at　seven　that　morning。　Jack　and　Cathy　were　winding　down　also　after　only　five　hours　of　sleep。　That　was　a　little　tough　on　a　pregnant　wife；　Jack　had　thought　an　hour　earlier；　and　he　and　Robby　had　cleared　away　the　dishes；　now　being　processed　by　the　dishwasher　in　the　kitchen。　Now　their　wives　were　on　the　other　couch　talking　while　the　menfolk　sipped　at　some　brandy。　
　　　　〃Not　flying　tomorrow？〃
　　　　Jackson　shook　his　head。　〃The　bird　went　tits…up；　take　another　day　or　so　to　fix。　Besides；　what's　Christmas　without　a　good　brandy？　I'll　be　back　in　the　simulator　tomorrow；　and　regs　don't　prevent　me　from　drinking　before　I　do　that。　I　don't　strap　in　until　three　tomorrow；　I　ought　to　be　fairly　sober　by　then。〃　Robby'd　had　one　glass　of　wine　with　dinner；　and　had　limited　himself　to　only　one　Hennessy。
　　　　〃God；　I　need　a　stretch。〃　Jack　stood　up　and　beckoned　his　friend　to　the　stairs。
　　　　〃How　late　were　you　up　last　night；　sport？〃　
　　　　〃I　think　we　hit　the　sack　a　little　after　two。〃
　　　　Robby　checked　to　see　that　Sally　was　out　of　earshot。　〃Being　Santa　is　a　bitch；　isn't　it？　If　you　can　put　all　those　toys　together；　maybe　I　ought　to　turn　you　loose　on　my　broke　airplane。〃　
　　　　〃Wait　till　I　have　both　arms　back。〃　Jack　pulled　his　arm　out　of　the　sling　and　moved　it　around　as　they　went　down　to　the　library　level。
　　　　〃What's　Cathy　say　about　that？〃
　　　　〃What　docs　always　say　　hell；　if　you　get　well　too　soon；　they　lose　money！〃　He　moved　his　wrist　around。　〃This　thing　knots　up　like　you　wouldn't　believe。〃　
　　　　〃How's　it　feel？〃
　　　　〃Pretty　good。　I　think　I　might　get　full　use　back。　At　least　I　haven't　had　it　quit　on　me　yet。〃　Jack　checked　his　watch。　〃Want　to　catch　the　news？〃　
　　　　〃Sure。〃
　　　　Ryan　flipped　on　the　small　TV　on　his　deck。　Cable　had　finally　made　it　down　his　road；　and　he　was　already　hooked　on　CNN。　It　was　so　nice　to　get　the　national　and　world　news　whenever　you　wanted。　Jack　dropped　into　his　swivel　chair　while　Robby　selected　another　in　the　corner。　It　was　a　few　minutes　short　of　the　hourly　headlines。　Jack　left　the　sound　down。　
　　　　〃How's　the　book　ing？〃
　　　　〃Getting　there。　I　have　all　the　information　in　line；　finally。　Four　more　chapters　to　write；　and　two　I　have　to　change　around　some；　and　it's　done。〃　
　　　　〃What　did　you　change？〃　　　　　〃Turned　out　that　I　got　bum　data。　You　were　right　about　that　deck…spotting　problem　on　the　Japanese　carriers。〃　
　　　　〃I　didn't　think　that　sounded　right；〃　Robby　replied。　〃They　were　pretty　good；　but　they　weren't　that　good　　I　mean；　we　took　'em　at　Midway；　didn't　we？〃　
　　　　〃What　about　today？〃
　　　　〃The　Russians？　Hey；　Jack；　anybody　wants　to　fool　with　me　and　my　Tomcat　better　have　his　will　fixed　up。　They　don't　pay　me　to　lose；　son。〃　Jackson　grinned　like　a　sleepy　lion。　
　　　　〃Nice　to　see　such　confidence。〃
　　　　〃There's　better　pilots　than　me；〃　Robby　admitted。　〃Three；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　Ask　me　again　in　a　year；　when　I'm　back　in　the　groove。〃
　　　　〃Oh；　yeah！〃　Jack　laughed。　The　laugh　died　when　he　saw　the　picture　on　the　TV　screen。　〃That's　him　　I　wonder　why　〃　He　turned　the　sound　up。
　　　　〃　。　。　。　killed；　including　five　police　officers。　An　intensive　land；　sea；　and　air　search　is　under　way　for　the　terrorists　who　snatched　their　convicted　rade　while　en　route　to　a　British　prison　on　the　Isle　of　Wight。　Sean　Miller　was　convicted　only　three　weeks　before　in　the　daring　attack　on　the　Prince　and　Princess　of　Wales　within　sight　of　Buckingham　Palace。　Two　police　officers　and　one　of　the　terrorists　were　killed　before　the　attack　was　broken　up　by　American　tourist　Jack　Ryan　of　Annapolis；　Maryland。〃
　　　　The　picture　changed　to　show　the　weather　on　the　Channel　and　a　Royal　Navy　helicopter；　evidently　searching　for　something。　It　changed　again　to　a　file　tape　of　Miller　being　taken　out　of　the　Old　Bailey。　Just　before　he　was　put　in　the　police　van。　Miller　turned　to　face　the　camera；　and　now　weeks　later　his　eyes　stared　again　into　those　of　John　Patrick　Ryan。
　　　　〃Oh；　my　God　。　。　。〃　Jack　muttered。

Chapter　10　Plans　and　Threats

　　　　〃You　shouldn't　blame　yourself；　Jimmy；〃　Murray　said。　〃And　Bob's　going　to　make　it。　That's　something。〃
　　　　〃Certainly；〃　Owens　replied　sardonically。　〃There's　even　a　fifty…percent　chance　that　he'll　learn　to　walk　again。　What　of　the　others；　Dan？　Five　good　men　gone；　and　four　civilians　along　with　them。〃　
　　　　〃And　maybe　the　terrorists；　too；〃　Murray　pointed　out。　
　　　　〃You　don't　believe　that　any　more　than　I　do！〃
　　　　It　had　e　as　a　piece　of　blind　luck。　A　Royal　Navy　mine…hunter　ship　conducting　an　ongoing　sonar　survey　of　the　English　Channel　had　found　a　new　object　on　the　bottom　and　immediately　sent　a　camera　sled　down　to　classify　it。　The　videotape　showed　the　remains　of　a　ten…meter　zodiac…type　inflatable　boat；　with　two　hundred…horse　outboard　motors。　It　had　clearly　sunk　as　the　result　of　an　explosion　near　the　gas　tanks；　but　there　was　no　evidence　of　the　men　who'd　been　aboard；　or　their　weapons。　The　vessel's　skipper　had　immediately　grasped　the　importance　of　the　discovery　and　informed　his　superiors。　A　salvage　crew　was　preparing　now　to　go　out　and　raise　the　wreck。
　　　　〃It's　a　possibility。　One　of　them　might　have　screwed　up；　the　boat　blew；　the　bad　guys　get　dumped　in　the　drink　。　。　。　〃　
　　　　〃And　the　bodies？〃
　　　　〃Fish　food。〃　Murray　smirked。　〃Makes　a　nice　image；　doesn't　it？〃
　　　　〃You　are　so　fond　of　punting；　Dan。　Just　what　percentage　of　your　salary　would　you　wager　on　that　hypothesis？〃　Owens　wasn't　in　the　mood　for　humor。　Murray　could　see　that　the　head　of　C…13　still　looked　on　this　as　a　very　personal　defeat。
　　　　〃Not　very　much；〃　the　FBI　representative　conceded。　〃So　you　think　a　ship　picked　them　up。〃
　　　　〃It's　the　only　thing　that　makes　the　least　bit　of　sense。　Nine　merchant　vessels　were　close　enough　to　have　been　involved。　We　have　the　list。〃
　　　　So　did　Murray。　It　had　already　been　forwarded　to　Washington；　where　the　FBI　and　CIA　would　both　work　on　it。　〃But　why　not　recover　the　boat；　too？〃
　　　　〃Obvious；　isn't　it？　What　if　one　of　our　helicopters　saw　them　doing　it？　Or　it　might　have　been　too　difficult　for　the　weather　conditions。　Or　they　might　just　not　have　wished　to　trouble　themselves。　They　do　have　ample　financial　resources；　don't　they？〃　
　　　　〃When　will　the　Navy　raise　the　wreck？〃
　　　　〃If　the　weather　holds；　day　after　tomorrow；〃　Owens　said。　That　was　the　one　thing　to　be　happy　about。　Then　they'd　have　physical　evidence。　Everything　made　in　the　world　carried　trademarks　and　serial　numbers。　Somewhere　there　would　be　records　of　sale。　That　was　how　many　successful　investigations　had　started　　a　single　sales　slip　in　a　single　shop　had　often　led　to　the　conviction　of　the　most　dangerous　criminals。　From　the　videotape；　the　outboards　on　the　boat　looked　like　American　Mercury　motors。　The　Bureau　had　already　been　alerted　to　run　that　lead　down　as　soon　as　the　engine　numbers　were　in。　Murray　had　already　learned　that　Mercury　motors　were　a　favorite　all　over　the　world。　It　would　make　matters　harder；　but　it　was　still　something；　and　something　was　always　better　than　nothing。　The　resources　of　the　Metropolitan　Police　and　the　Bureau　were　designed　for　precisely　such　a　task。
　　　　〃Any　breaks　on　the　leak？〃　Murray　asked。　This　touched　the　rawest　nerve　of　all。
　　　　〃He'd　better　pray　we　don't　find　him；〃　Owens　said　quietly。　There　was　as　yet　no　danger　that　this　would　happen。　There　had　been　a　total　of　thirty…one　people　who'd　known　the　time　and　route　for　the　prisoner　transfer；　and　five　of　them　were　dead　　even　the　driver　of　the　van　hadn't　known　beforehand。　That　left　twenty…six；　ranging　from　a　few　members　of　C…13；　two　more　high　officials　in　the　Metropolitan　Police；　ten　in　the　Home　Office；　a　few　more　in　MI…5；　the　Security　Service；　and　various　others。　Every　one　of　them　had　a　top…drawer　security　clearance。　Not　that　a　clearance　matters　a　damn；　Owens　told　himself　again。　By　definition　a　leak　had　to　e　from　some　bastard　with　a　top…drawer　clearance。
　　　　But　this　was　different。　This　was　treason　　it　was　worse　than　treason　　a　concept　that　Owens　hadn't　even　thought　possible　until　the　last　week。　Whoever　had　leaked　this　had　also　to　have　been　involved　in　the　attack　on　the　Royal　Family。　To　betray　national　security　secrets　to　a　foreign　power　was　sufficiently　heinous　to　make　the　mander　think　in　unprofessional　terms。　But　deliberately　to　endanger　the　Royal　Family　itself　was　so　inprehensible　a　crime　that　Owens　had　scarcely　been　able　to　believe　it　possible。　This　wasn't　someone　of　dubious　mental　state。　This　was　a　person　with　intelligence　and　considerable　skill　at　dissimulation；　someone　who　had　betrayed　a　trust　both　personal　and　national。　There　had　been　a　time　in　his　country　when　such　people　died　by　torture。　It　was　not　a　fact　that　Owens　was　proud　of；　but　now　he　understood　why　it　had　happened；　how　easily　one　might　countenance　such　punishment。　The　Royal　Family　served　so　many　functions　for　the　United　Kingdom；　was　so　greatly　loved　by　the　people。　And　someone；　probably　someone　very　close　to　them；　was　quite　willing　to　betray　them　to　a　small　band　of　terrorists。　Owens　wanted　that　person。　Wanted　to　see　him　dead；　wanted　to　watch　him　die。　There　could　be　no　other　punishment　for　this　kind　of　crime。
　　　　His　professionalism　returned　after　the　few　seconds　of　grim　revelry。　We　won't　find　the　bastard　by　wishing　him　dead。　Finding　him　means　police　work　　careful；　painstaking；　thorough　investigation。　Owens　knew　how　to　do　that。　Neither　he　nor　the　elite　team　of　men　on　the　investigation　would　rest　until　they　succeeded。　But　none　of　them　doubted　that　they　would　ultimately　succeed。
　　　　〃That's　two　breaks　you　have；　Jimmy；〃　Murray　said　after　reading　his　friend's　mind。　It　wasn't　hard　to　do。　Both　men　had　handled　hard　cases；　and　police　differ　little　over　the　world。
　　　　〃Indeed；〃　Ow