tc.patriotgames-第94部分

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wife　plays　one　hell　of　a　piano。〃　Ryan　saw　that　he　hadn't　quite　gotten　through　yet。　〃Mr。　Bennett；　check　Rob　out　through　your　attache　and　ask　His　Highness　if　it's　all　right。〃　
　　　　〃And　if　he　objects？〃
　　　　〃He　won't。　I've　met　him。　Maybe　he's　a　better　guy　than　you　give　him　credit　for；〃　Jack　observed。　He　won't　object；　you　dummy。　It's　the　security　pukes　who'll　throw　a　fit。
　　　　〃Well。〃　That　remark　took　him　somewhat　aback。　〃I　cannot　fault　your　sense　of　loyalty。　Doctor。　I　will　pass　this　through　His　Highness's　office。　But　I　must　insist　that　you　do　not　tell　mander　Jackson　anything。〃
　　　　〃You　have　my　word。〃　Jack　nearly　laughed。　He　couldn't　wait　to　see　the　look　on　Robby's　face。　This　would　finally　even　the　score　for　that　kendo　match。

　　　　〃Contraction　peaks；〃　Jack　said　that　night。　They　were　practicing　the　breathing　exercises　in　preparation　for　the　delivery。　His　wife　started　panting。　Jack　knew　that　this　was　a　serious　business。　It　merely　looked　ridiculous。　He　checked　the　numbers　on　his　digital　watch。　〃Contraction　ends。　Deep；　cleansing　breath。　I　figure　steaks　on　the　grill；　baked　potatoes；　and　fresh　corn　on　the　cob；　with　a　nice　salad。〃　
　　　　〃It's　too　plain；〃　Cathy　protested。
　　　　〃Everywhere　they　go　over　here；　people　will　be　hitting　them　with　that　fancy　French　crap。　Somebody　ought　to　give　them　a　decent　American　meal。　You　know　I　do　a　mean　steak　on　the　grill；　and　your　spinach　salad　is　famous　from　here　to　across　the　road。〃　
　　　　〃Okay。〃　Cathy　started　laughing。　It　was　being　unfortable　for　her　to　do　so。　〃If　I　stand　over　a　stove　for　more　than　a　few　minutes；　I　get　nauseous　anyway。〃　
　　　　〃It　must　be　tough；　being　pregnant。〃　
　　　　〃You　should　try　it；〃　she　suggested。
　　　　Her　husband　went　on：　〃It's　the　only　hard　thing　women　have　to　do；　of　course。〃　
　　　　〃What！〃　Cathy's　eyes　nearly　popped　out。
　　　　〃Look　at　history。　Who　has　to　go　out　and　kill　the　buffalo？　The　man。　Who　has；　to　carry　the　buffalo　back？　The　man。　Who　has　to　drive　off　the　bear？　The　man。　We　do　all　the　hard　stuff。　I　still　have　to　take　out　the　garbage　every　night！　Do　I　ever　plain　about　that？〃　He　had　her　laughing　again。　He'd　read　her　mood　right。　She　didn't　want　sympathy。　She　was　too　proud　of　herself　for　that。
　　　　〃I'd　hit　you　on　the　head；　but　there's　no　sense　in　breaking　a　perfectly　good　club　over　something　worthless。〃
　　　　〃Besides；　I　was　there　the　last　time；　and　it　didn't　look　all　that　hard。〃　
　　　　〃If　I　could　move；　Jack；　I'd　kill　you　for　that　one！〃　
　　　　He　moved　from　opposite　his　wife　to　beside　her。　〃Nah；　I　don't　think　so。　I　want　you　to　form　a　picture　in　your　mind。〃　
　　　　〃Of　what？〃
　　　　〃Of　the　look　on　Robby's　face　when　he　gets　here　for　dinner。　I'm　going　to　jiggle　the　time　a　little。〃
　　　　〃I'll　bet　you　that　Sissy　handles　it　better　than　he　does。〃
　　　　〃How　much？〃
　　　　〃Twenty。〃
　　　　〃Deal。〃　He　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Contraction　begins。　Deep　breath。〃　A　minute　later；　Jack　was　amazed　to　see　that　he　was　breathing　the　same　way　as　his　wife。　That　got　them　both　laughing。

Chapter　24　Connections　Missed　and　Made

　　　　There　were　no　new　pictures　of　Camp…18　the　day　of　the　raid。　A　sandstorm　had　swept　over　the　area　at　the　time　of　the　satellite　pass；　and　the　cameras　couldn't　penetrate　it；　but　a　geosynchronous　weather　satellite　showed　that　the　storm　had　left　the　site。　Ryan　was　cued　after　lunch　that　day　that　the　raid　was　on；　and　spent　his　afternoon　in　fidgety　anticipation。　Careful　analysis　of　the　existing　photos　showed　that　between　twelve　and　eighteen　people　were　at　the　camp；　over　and　above　the　guard　force。　If　the　higher　number　was　correct；　and　the　official　estimate　of　the　ULA's　size　was　also　accurate；　that　represented　more　than　half　of　its　membership。　Ryan　worried　a　little　about　that。　If　the　French　were　sending　in　only　eight　paratroopers　。　。　。　but　then　he　remembered　his　own　experiences　in　the　Marine　Corps。　They'd　be　hitting　the　objective　at　three　in　the　morning。　Surprise　would　be　going　for　them。　The　assault　team　would　have　its　weapons　loaded　and　locked　　and　aimed　at　people　who　were　asleep。　The　element　of　surprise；　in　the　hands　of　elite　mandos；　was　the　military　equivalent　of　a　Kansas　tornado。　Nothing　could　stand　up　to　it。
　　　　They're　in　their　choppers　now；　Ryan　thought。　He　remembered　his　own　experience　in　the　fragile；　ungainly　aircraft。　There　you　are；　all　your　equipment　packed　up；　clean　utilities；　your　weapons　ready；　and　despite　it　all　you're　as　vulnerable　as　a　baby　in　the　womb。　He　wondered　what　sort　of　men　they　were；　and　realized　that　they　wouldn't　be　too　very　different　from　the　Marines　he'd　served　with：　all　would　be　volunteers；　doubly　so　since　you　also　had　to　volunteer　for　parachute　training。　They'd　opted　a　third　time　to　be　part　of　the　antiterror　teams。　It　would　be　partly　for　the　extra　pay　they　got　and　partly　for　the　pride　that　always　came　with　membership　in　a　small；　very　special　force　　like　the　Marine　Corps'　Force　Recon　　but　mostly　they'd　be　there　because　they　knew　that　this　was　a　mission　worth　doing。　To　a　man；　professional　soldiers　despised　terrorists；　and　each　would　dream　about　getting　them　in　an　even…up…battle　　the　idea　of　the　Field　of　Honor　had　never　died　for　the　real　professionals。　It　was　the　place　where　the　ultimate　decision　was　made　on　the　basis　of　courage　and　skill；　on　the　basis　of　manhood　itself；　and　it　was　this　concept　that　marked　the　professional　soldier　as　a　romantic；　a　person　who　truly　believed　in　the　rules。
　　　　They'd　be　nervous　in　their　helicopter。　Some　would　fidget　and　be　ashamed　of　it。　Others　would　make　a　great　show　of　sharpening　their　knives。　Some　would　joke　quietly。　Their　officers　and　sergeants　would　sit　quietly；　setting　an　example　and　going　over　the　plans。　All　would　look　about　the　helicopter　and　silently　hate　being　trapped　within　it。　For　a　moment　Jack　was　there　with　them。
　　　　〃Good　luck；　guys；〃　he　whispered　to　the　wall。　〃Bonne　chance。　〃
　　　　The　hours　crept　by。　It　seemed　to　Ryan　that　the　numbers　on　his　digital　watch　were　reluctant　to　change　at　all；　and　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　concentrate　on　his　work。　He　was　going　over　the　photos　of　the　camp　again；　counting　the　man…figures；　examining　the　ground　to　predict　for　himself　how　the　final　approach　would　be　made。　He　wondered　if　their　orders　were　to　take　the　terrorists　alive。　He　couldn't　decide　on　that　question。　From　a　legal　perspective；　he　didn't　think　it　really　mattered。　If　terrorism　were　the　modern　manifestation　of　piracy　　the　analogy　seemed　apt　enough　　then　the　ULA　was　fair　game　for　any　nation's　armed　forces。　On　the　other　hand；　taken　alive；　they　could　be　put　on　trial　and　displayed。　The　psychological　impact　on　other　such　groups　might　be　real。　If　it　didn't　put　the　fear　of　God　in　them；　it　would　at　least　get　their　attention。　It　would　frighten　them　to　know　that　they　were　not　safe　even　in　their　most　remote；　most　secure　sanctuary。　Some　members　might　drift　away；　and　maybe　one　or　two　of　them　would　talk。　It　didn't　take　much　intelligence　information　to　hammer　them。　Ryan　had　seen　that　clearly　enough。　You　needed　to　know　where　they　were；　that　was　all。　With　that　knowledge　you　could　bring　all　the　forces　of　a　modern　nation　to　bear；　and　for　all　their　arrogance　and　brutality；　they　couldn't　hope　to　stand　up　to　that。
　　　　Marty　came　into　the　office。　〃Ready　to　go　over？〃
　　　　〃Hell；　yes！〃　
　　　　〃Did　you　have　dinner？〃　
　　　　〃No。　Maybe　later。〃
　　　　〃Yeah。〃　Together　they　walked　to　the　annex。　The　corridors　were　nearly　empty　now。　For　the　most　part；　CIA　worked　like　any　other　place。　At　five　the　majority　of　the　workers　departed　for　home　and　dinner　and　evening　television。
　　　　〃Okay；　Jack；　this　is　real…time。　Remember　that　you　can't　discuss　any　aspect　of　this。〃　Cantor　looked　rather　tired。　Jack　thought。
　　　　〃Marty；　if　this　op　is　successful；　I　will　tell　my　wife　that　the　ULA　is　out　of　business。　She　has　a　right　to　know　that　much。〃　
　　　　〃I　can　understand　that。　Just　so　she　doesn't　know　how　it　happens。〃
　　　　〃She　wouldn't　even　be　interested；〃　Jack　assured　him　as　they　entered　the　room　with　the　TV　monitor。　Jean…Claude　was　there　again。
　　　　〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Cantor；　Professor　Ryan；〃　the　DGSE　officer　greeted　them　both。　
　　　　〃How's　the　op　going？〃　
　　　　〃They　are　under　radio　silence；〃　the　Colonel　replied。
　　　　〃What　I　don't　understand　is　how　they　can　do　it　the　same　way　twice；〃　Ryan　went　on。
　　　　〃There　is　a　risk。　A　little　disinformation　has　been　used；〃　Jean…Claude　said　cryptically。　〃In　addition；　your　carrier　now　has　their　full　attention。〃
　　　　〃Saratoga　has　an　alpha…strike　up；〃　Marty　explained。　〃Two　fighter　squadrons　and　three　attack　ones；　plus　jamming　and　radar　coverage。　They're　patrolling　that　'Line　of　Death'　right　now。　According　to　our　electronics　listening　people；　the　Libyans　are　going　slightly　ape。　Oh；　well。〃
　　　　〃The　satellite　es　over　the　horizon　in　twenty…four　minutes；〃　the　senior　technician　reported。　〃Local　weather　looks　good。　We　ought　to　get　some　clear　shots。〃
　　　　Ryan　wished　he　had　a　cigarette。　They　made　the　waiting　easier；　but　every　time　Cathy　smelled　them　on　his　breath；　there　was　hell　to　pay。　At　this　point　the　raiding　force　would　be　crawling　across　the　last　thousand　yards。　Ryan　had　done　the　drill　himself。　They'd　e　away　with　bloody　hands　and　knees；　sand　rubbed　into　the　wounds。　It　was　an　incredibly　tiring　thing　to　do；　made　more　difficult　still　by　the　presence　of　armed　soldiers　at　the　objective。　You　had　to　time　your　moves　for　when　they　were　looking　the　other　way；　and　you　had　to　be　quiet。　They'd　be　carrying　the　bare　minimum　of　gear；　their　personal　weapons；　maybe　some　grenades；　a　few　radios；　slinking　across　the　ground　the　way　a　tiger　did；　watching　and　listening。
　　　　Everyone　was　staring　at　the　blank　TV　monitor　now；　each　of　them　bewitched　by　his　imagination's　picture　of　what　was　happening。
　　　　〃Okay；〃　the　technician　said；　〃cameras　ing　on　line；　attitude　and　tracking　controls　in　automatic；　programming　telemetry　received。　Target　acquisition　in　ninety　seconds。〃
　　　　The　TV　picture　lit　up。　It　showed　a　test　pattern。　Ryan　hadn't　seen　one　of　those　in　years。　
　　　　〃Getting　a　signal。〃
　　　　Then　the　picture　appeared。　Disappointingly；　it　was　in　infrared　again。　Somehow　Ryan　had　expected　otherwise。　The　low　angle　showed　very　little　of　the　camp。　They　could　discern　no　movement　at　all。　The　technician　frowned　and　increased　the　viewing　field。　Nothing　more；　not　even　the　helicopters。
　　　　The　viewing　angle　changed　slowly；　and　it　was　hard　to　believe　that　the　reconnaissance　satellite　was　racing　alo