tc.patriotgames-第95部分

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　　　　The　viewing　angle　changed　slowly；　and　it　was　hard　to　believe　that　the　reconnaissance　satellite　was　racing　along　at　over　eighteen　thousand　miles　per　hour。　Finally　they　could　see　all　of　the　huts。　Ryan　blinked。　Only　one　was　lit　up　on　the　infrared　picture。　Uh…oh。　Only　one　hut　　the　guards'　one　　had　had　its　heater　on。　What　did　that　mean？　They're　gone　　nobody's　home　。　。　。　and　the　assault　force　isn't　there　either。
　　　　Ryan　said　what　the　others　didn't　want　to　say：　〃Something's　gone　wrong。〃　
　　　　〃When　can　they　tell　us　what　happened？〃　Cantor　asked。　
　　　　〃They　cannot　break　silence　for　several　hours。〃　
　　　　Two　more　hours　followed。　They　were　spent　in　Marty's　office。　Food　was　sent　up。　Jean…Claude　didn't　say　anything；　but　he　was　clearly　disappointed　by　it。　Cantor　didn't　touch　his　at　all。　The　phone　rang。　The　Frenchman　took　the　call；　and　spoke　in　his　native　tongue。　The　conversation　lasted　four　or　five　minutes。　Jean…Claude　hung　up　and　turned。
　　　　〃The　assault　force　came　upon　a　regular　army　unit　a　hundred　kilometers　from　the　camp；　apparently　a　mechanized　unit　on　an　exercise。　This　was　not　expected。　ing　in　low；　they　encountered　them　quite　suddenly。　It　opened　fire　on　the　helicopters。　Surprise　was　lost；　and　they　had　to　turn　back。〃　Jean…Claude　didn't　have　to　explain　that；　at　best；　operations　like　this　were　successful　barely　more　than　half　the　time。
　　　　〃I　was　afraid　of　that。〃　Jack　stared　at　the　floor。　He　didn't　need　to　have　anyone　tell　him　that　the　mission　could　not　be　repeated。　They　had　run　a　serious　risk；　trying　a　covert　mission　the　same　way　twice。　There　would　be　no　third　attempt。　〃Are　your　people　safe？〃　
　　　　〃Yes；　one　helicopter　was　damaged；　but　managed　to　return　to　base。　No　casualties。〃
　　　　〃Please　thank　your　people　for　trying；　Colonel。〃　Cantor　excused　himself　and　walked　to　his　private　bathroom。　Once　in　there；　he　threw　up。　His　ulcers　were　bleeding　again。　Marty　tried　to　stand；　but　found　himself　faint。　He　fell　against　the　door　with　a　hard　rap　on　the　head。
　　　　Jack　heard　the　noise　and　went　to　see　what　it　was。　It　was　hard　to　open　the　door；　but　he　finally　saw　Marty　lying　there。　Ryan's　first　instinct　was　to　tell　Jean…Claude　to　call　for　a　doctor；　but　Jack　himself　didn't　know　how　to　do　that　here。　He　helped　Marty　to　his　feet　and　led　him　back　into　his　office；　setting　him　in　a　chair。　
　　　　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　　　〃He　just　tossed　up　blood　　how　do　you　call　。　。　。　〃　Ryan　said　the　hell　with　it　and　dialed　Admiral　Greer's　line。　
　　　　〃Marty's　collapsed　　we　need　a　doctor　here。〃
　　　　〃I'll　take　care　of　it。　Be　there　in　two　minutes；〃　the　Admiral　answered。
　　　　Jack　went　into　the　bathroom　and　got　a　glass　of　water　and　some　toilet　paper。　He　used　this　to　wipe　Cantor's　mouth；　then　held　up　the　glass。　〃Wash　your　mouth　out。〃　
　　　　〃I'm　okay；〃　the　man　protested。
　　　　〃Bullshit；〃　Ryan　replied。　〃You　jerk。　You've　been　working　too　damned　late；　trying　to　finish　up　all　your　stuff　before　you　leave；　right？〃　
　　　　〃Got　　got　to。〃
　　　　〃What　you　got　to　do；　Marty；　is　get　the　hell　out　of　here　before　it　eats　you　up。〃　
　　　　Cantor　gagged　again。
　　　　You　weren't　bidding；　Marty；　Jack　thought。　The　war　is　being　fought　here；　too；　and　you're　one　of　the　casualties。　You　wanted　that　mission　to　score　as　much　as　I　did。
　　　　〃What　the　hell！〃　Greer　entered　the　room。　He　even　looked　a　little　disheveled。
　　　　〃His　ulcers　let　go；〃　Jack　explained。　〃He's　been　puking　blood。〃　
　　　　〃Aw；　Jesus；　Marty！〃　the　Admiral　said。
　　　　Ryan　hadn't　known　that　there　was　a　medical　dispensary　at　Langley。　Someone　identifying　himself　as　a　paramedic　arrived　next。　He　examined　Cantor　quickly；　then　he　and　a　security　guard　loaded　the　man　on　a　wheelchair。　They　took　him　out；　and　the　three　men　left　behind　stared　at　each　other。

　　　　〃How　hard　is　it　to　die　from　ulcers？〃　Ryan　asked　his　wife　just　before　midnight。
　　　　〃How　old　is　he？〃　she　asked。　Jack　told　her。　Cathy　thought　about　it　for　a　moment。　〃It　can　happen；　but　it's　fairly　rare。　Somebody　at　work？〃
　　　　〃My　supervisor　at　Langley。　He's　been　on　Tagamet；　but　he　vomited　blood　tonight。〃
　　　　〃Maybe　he　tried　going　without　it。　That's　one　of　the　problems。　You　give　people　medications；　and　as　soon　as　they　start　feeling　better；　they　stop　taking　the　meds。　Even　smart　people；〃　Cathy　noted。　〃Is　it　that　stressful　over　there？〃　
　　　　〃I　guess　it　was　for　him。〃
　　　　〃Super。〃　It　was　the　kind　of　remark　that　should　have　been　followed　by　a　roll…over；　but　Cathy　hadn't　been　able　to　do　that　for　some　time。　〃He'll　probably　be　all　right。　You　really　have　to　work　at　it　to　be　in　serious　trouble　from　ulcers　nowadays。　Are　you　sure　you　want　to　work　there？〃
　　　　〃No。　They　want　me；　but　I　won't　decide　until　you　lose　a　little　weight。〃　
　　　　〃You'd　better　not　be　that　far　away　when　I　go　into　labor。〃　
　　　　〃I'll　be　there　when　you　need　me。〃

　　　　〃Almost　got　'em；〃　Murray　reported。
　　　　〃The　same　mob　who　raided　Action…Directe；　eh？　Yes；　I've　heard　that　was　a　nicely　run　mission。　What　happened？〃　Owens　asked。
　　　　〃The　assault　group　was　spotted　seventy　miles　out　and　had　to　turn　back。　On　reexamination　of　the　photos；　it　may　be　that　our　friends　were　already　gone　anyway。〃
　　　　〃Marvelous。　I　see　our　luck　is　holding。　Where　did　they　go；　you　reckon？〃
　　　　Murray　grunted。　〃I've　got　to　make　the　same　assumption　you　have；　Jimmy。〃
　　　　〃Quite。〃　He　looked　out　the　window。　The　sun　would　be　rising　soon。　〃Well；　we've　cleared　the　DPG　man　and　told　him　the　story。〃　
　　　　〃How'd　he　take　it？〃
　　　　〃He　immediately　offered　his　resignation；　but　the　missioner　and　I　prevailed　upon　him　to　withdraw　it。　We　all　have　our　little　foibles；〃　Owens　said　generously。　〃He's　a　very　good　chap　at　what　he　does。　You'll　be　pleased　to　learn　that　his　reaction　was　precisely　the　same　as　yours。　He　said　we　should　arrange　for　His　Highness　to　fall　off　one　of　his　polo　ponies　and　break　his　leg。　Please　don't　quote　either　of　us　on　that！〃
　　　　〃It's　a　hell　of　a　lot　easier　to　protect　cowards；　isn't　it？　It's　the　brave　ones　who　plicate　our　lives。　You　know　something？　He's　going　to　be　a　good　king　for　you　someday。　If　he　lives　long　enough；〃　Murray　added。　It　was　impossible　not　to　like　the　kid；　he　thought。　And　his　wife　was　dynamite。　〃Well；　if　it　makes　you　feel　any　better；　the　security　on　'em　in　the　States　will　be　tight。　Just　like　what　we　give　the　President。　Even　some　of　the　same　people　are　involved。〃
　　　　That's　supposed　to　make　me　feel　happy？　Owens　asked　himself　silently；　remembering　how　close　several　American　Presidents　had　e　to　death　at　the　hands　of　madmen；　not　to　mention　John　F。　Kennedy。　It　could　be；　of　course；　that　the　ULA　was　back　wherever　it　lived；　but　all　his　instincts　told　him　otherwise。　Murray　was　a　close　friend；　and　he　also　knew　and　respected　the　Secret　Service　agents　who'd　formed　the　security　detail。　But　the　security　of　Their　Highnesses　was　properly　the　responsibility　of　the　Yard；　and　he　didn't　like　the　fact　that　it　was　now　largely　in　others'　hands。　Owens　had　been　professionally　offended　the　last　time　the　American　President　had　been　in　the　U。K。；　when　the　Secret　Service　had　made　a　big　show　of　shoving　the　locals　as　far　aside　as　they　dared。　Now　he　understood　them　a　little　better。

　　　　〃How　much　is　the　rent？〃　Dobbens　asked。
　　　　〃Four…fifty　a　month；〃　the　agent　answered。　〃That's　furnished。〃
　　　　〃Uh…huh。〃　The　furnishings　weren't　exactly　impressive；　Alex　saw。　They　didn't　have　to　be。　
　　　　〃When　can　my　cousin　move　in？〃　
　　　　〃It's　not　for　you？〃
　　　　〃No；　it's　my　cousin。　He's　in　the　same　business　I　am；〃　Alex　explained。　〃He's　new　to　the　area。　I'll　be　responsible　for　the　rent；　of　course。　A　three…month　deposit；　you　said？〃　
　　　　〃Okay。〃　The　agent　had　specified　two　months'　rent　up…front。　
　　　　〃Cash　all　right？〃　Dobbens　asked。
　　　　〃Sure。　Let's　go　back　to　the　office　and　get　the　paperwork　done。〃
　　　　〃I'm　running　a　little　late。　I'm　afraid。　Don't　you　have　the　contract　with　you？〃
　　　　The　agent　nodded。　〃Yeah；　I　can　do　it　right　here。〃　He　walked　out　to　his　car　and　came　back　with　a　clipboard　and　a　boilerplate　rental　contract。　He　didn't　know　that　he　was　condemning　himself　to　death；　that　no　one　else　from　his　office　had　seen　this　man's　face。
　　　　〃My　mail　goes　to　a　box　　I　get　it　on　the　way　into　work。〃　That　took　care　of　the　address。
　　　　〃What　sort　of　work；　did　you　say？〃
　　　　〃I　work　at　the　Applied　Physics　Laboratory；　electrical　engineer。　I'm　afraid　I　can't　be　more　specific　than　that。　We　do　a　lot　of　government　work；　you　understand。〃　Alex　felt　vaguely　sorry　for　the　man。　He　was　pleasant　enough；　and　hadn't　given　him　a　runaround　like　many　real　estate　people　did。　It　was　too　bad。　That's　life。
　　　　〃You　always　deal　in　cash？〃
　　　　〃That's　one　way　to　make　sure　you　can　afford　it；〃　Alex　chuckled。
　　　　〃Could　you　sign　here；　please？〃
　　　　〃Sure　thing。〃　Alex　did　so　with　his　own　pen；　left…handed　as　he'd　practiced。　〃And　that's　thirteen…fifty。〃　He　counted　off　the　bills。
　　　　〃That　was　easy；〃　the　agent　said　as　he　handed　over　the　keys　and　a　receipt。
　　　　〃It　sure　was。　Thank　you；　sir。〃　Alex　shook　his　hand。　〃He'll　probably　be　moving　in　next　week；　certainly　by　the　week　after　that。〃
　　　　The　two　men　walked　out　to　their　cars。　Alex　wrote　down　the　agent's　tag　number：　he　drove　his　own　car；　not　one　belonging　to　the　brokerage。　Alex　noted　his　description　anyway；　just　to　be　sure　that　his　people　didn't　kill　the　wrong　man。　He　was　glad　he　hadn't　drawn　a　woman　agent。　Alex　knew　that　he'd　have　to　overe　that　prejudice　sooner　or　later；　but　for　the　moment　it　was　an　issue　he　was　just　as　happy　to　avoid。　He　followed　the　agent　for　a　few　blocks；　then　turned　off　and　doubled　back　to　the　house。
　　　　It　wasn't　exactly　perfect；　but　close　enough。　Three　small　bedrooms。　The　eat…in　kitchen　was　all　right；　though；　as　was　the　living　room。　Most　important；　it　had　a　garage；　and　sat　on　nearly　an　acre　of　ground。　The　lot　was　bordered　by　hedges；　and　sat　in　a　semirural　working…class　neighborhood　where　the　houses　were　separated　by　about　fifty　feet。　It　would　do　just　fine　as　a　safehouse。
　　　　Finished；　he　drove　to　Washington　National　Airport；　where　he　caught　a　flight　to　Miami。　There　was　a　three…hour　layover　until　he　took　another　airplane　to　Mexico　City。　Miller　was　waiting　for　him　in　the　proper　hotel。
　　　　〃Hello；　Sean。〃　
　　　　〃Hello；　Alex。　Drink？〃　
　　　　〃What　do　you　have？〃
　　　　〃Well；　I　brought　a　bottle　of　decent　whiskey；　or　you　can　have　some　of　the　local　stuff。　The　beer　isn't　bad；　but　I　personally　stop　short　of　drinking　something　with　a　worm　in　the　bottle。〃　
　　　　Alex　selected　a