tc.patriotgames-第5部分

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onic　sort；　and　both　tasks　were　pleted　in　fifteen　seconds。　Ryan　asked　for　the　score；　but　got　a　smile　instead　of　an　answer。　The　smile　remained　fixed　as　she　made　the　entries　on　his　chart。　When　this　task　was　fulfilled；　she　made　a　minor　adjustment　in　the　covers；　beaming　at　Ryan。　Little　Miss　Efficiency；　Ryan　told　himself。　This　girl　is　going　to　be　a　real　pain　in　the　ass。
　　　　〃Is　there　anything　I　might　get　you；　Doctor　Ryan？〃　she　asked。　Her　brown　eyes　belied　the　wheat…colored　hair。　She　was　cute。　She　had　that　dewy　look。　Ryan　was　unable　to　remain　angry　with　pretty　women；　and　hated　them　for　it。　Especially　young　nurses　with　that　dewy　look。
　　　　〃Coffee？〃　he　asked　hopefully。
　　　　〃Breakfast　is　not　for　another　hour。　Can　I　fetch　you　a　cup　of　tea？〃
　　　　〃Fine。〃　It　wasn't；　but　it　would　get　rid　of　her　for　a　little　while。　Nurse　Kittiwake　breezed　out　the　door　with　her　ingenuous　smile。　
　　　　〃Hospitals？〃　Ryan　snarled　when　she　was　gone。
　　　　〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　Wilson；　observed；　the　image　of　Nurse　Kittiwake　fresh　in　his　mind。
　　　　〃You　ain't　the　one　getting　your　diapers　changed。〃　Ryan　grunted　and　leaned　back　into　the　pillow。　It　was　useless　to　fight　it；　he　knew。　He　smiled　in　spite　of　himself。　Useless　to　fight　it。　He'd　been　through　this　twice　before；　both　times　with　young；　pretty　nurses。　Being　grumpy　only　made　them　all　the　more　eager　to　be　overpoweringly　nice　　they　had　time　on　their　side；　time　and　patience　enough　to　wear　anyone　down。　He　sighed　out　his　surrender。　It　wasn't　worth　the　waste　of　energy。　〃So；　you're　a　cop；　right？　Special　Branch？〃　
　　　　〃No；　sir。　I'm　with　C…13；　Anti…Terrorist　Branch。〃　
　　　　〃Can　you　fill　me　in　on　what　happened　yesterday？　I　kinda　missed　a　few　things。〃
　　　　〃How　much　do　you　remember。　Doctor？〃　Wilson　slid　his　chair　closer。　Ryan　noted　that　he　remained　halfway　facing　the　door；　and　kept　his　right　hand　free。　　〃I　saw　　well；　I　heard　an　explosion；　a　hand　grenade；　I　think　　and　when　I　turned　I　saw　two　guys　shooting　the　hell　out　of　a　Rolls…Royce。　IRA；　I　guess。　I　took　two　of　them　out；　and　another　one　got　away　in　a　car。　The　cavalry　arrived；　and　I　passed　out　and　woke　up　here。〃
　　　　〃Not　IRA。　ULA　　Ulster　Liberation　Army；　a　Maoist　offshoot　of　the　Provos。　Nasty　buggers。　The　one　you　killed　was　John　Michael　McCrory；　a　very　bad　boy　from　Londonderry　　one　of　the　chaps　who　escaped　from　the　Maze　last　July。　This　is　the　first　time　he's　surfaced　since。　And　the　last〃　　Wilson　smiled　coldly　　〃we　haven't　identified　the　other　chap　yet。　That　is；　not　as　of　when　I　came　on　duty　three　hours　ago。〃
　　　　〃ULA？〃　Ryan　shrugged。　He　remembered　hearing　the　name；　though　he　couldn't　talk　about　that。　〃The　guy　I　　killed。　He　had　an　AK；　but　when　I　came　around　the　car　he　was　using　a　pistol。　How　e？〃
　　　　〃The　fool　jammed　it。　He　had　two　full　magazines　taped　end　to　end；　like　you　see　all　the　time　in　the　movies；　but　like　they　trained　us　specifically　not　to　do　in　the　paras。　We　reckon　he　bashed　it；　probably　when　he　came　out　of　the　car。　The　second　magazine　was　bent　at　the　top　end　　wouldn't　feed　the　rounds　properly；　you　see。　Damn　good　luck　for　you。　You　knew　you　were　going　after　a　chap　with　a　Kalashnikov？〃　Wilson　examined　Ryan's　face　closely。　
　　　　Jack　nodded。　〃Doesn't　sound　real　smart；　does　it？〃　
　　　　〃You　bloody　fool。〃　Wilson　said　this　just　as　Kittiwake　came　through　the　door　with　a　tea　tray。　The　nurse　flashed　the　cop　an　emphatically　disapproving　look　as　she　set　the　tray　on　the　bedstand　and　wheeled　it　over。　Kittiwake　arranged　things　just　so；　and　poured　Ryan　a　cup　with　delicacy。　Wilson　had　to　do　his　own。
　　　　〃So　who　was　in　the　car；　anyway？〃　Ryan　asked。　He　noted　strong　reactions。
　　　　〃You　didn't　know？〃　Kittiwake　was　dumbfounded。
　　　　〃There　wasn't　much　time　to　find　out。〃　Ryan　dropped　two　packets　of　brown　sugar　into　his　cup。　His　stirring　stopped　abruptly　when　Wilson　answered　his　question。
　　　　〃The　Prince　and　Princess　of　Wales。　And　their　new　baby。〃　
　　　　Ryan's　head　snapped　around。　〃What？〃　
　　　　〃You　really　didn't　know？〃　the　nurse　asked。
　　　　〃You're　serious；〃　Ryan　said　quietly。　They　wouldn't　kid　about　this；　would　they？
　　　　〃Too　bloody　right。　I'm　serious；〃　Wilson　went　on；　his　voice　very　even。　Only　his　choice　of　words　betrayed　how　deeply　the　affair　disturbed　him。　〃Except　for　you；　they　would　all　three　be　quite　dead；　and　that　makes　you　a　bloody　hero。　Doctor　Ryan。〃　Wilson　sipped　his　tea　neatly　and　fished　out　a　cigarette。
　　　　Ryan　set　his　cup　down。　〃You　mean　you　let　them　drive　around　here　without　a　police　or　secret　service　　whatever　you　call　it　　without　an　escort？〃
　　　　〃Supposedly　it　was　an　unscheduled　trip。　Security　arrangements　for　the　Royals　are　not　my　department　in　any　case。　I　would　speculate；　however；　that　those　whose　department　it　is　will　be　rethinking　a　few　things；〃　Wilson　mented。　
　　　　〃They　weren't　hurt？〃
　　　　〃No；　but　their　driver　was　killed。　So　was　their　security　escort　from　DPG　　Diplomatic　Protection　Group　　Charlie　Winston。　I　knew　Charlie。　He　had　a　wife；　you　know；　and　four　children；　all　grown。〃　
　　　　Ryan　observed　that　the　Rolls　should　have　had　bulletproof　glass。
　　　　Wilson　grunted。　〃It　did　have　bulletproof　glass。　Actually　plastic；　a　plex　polycarbonate　material。　Unfortunately；　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