tc.patriotgames-第22部分

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　　　　〃What　do　they　do？〃　Ryan　asked。
　　　　〃They　seem　to　specialize　in　high…risk；　high…profile　operations。　It　took　over　a　year　to　confirm　that　they　exist　at　all；　we　thought　they　were　a　special…action　group　of　the　PIRA。　They're　an　anomaly　within　the　terrorist　munity。　They　don't　make　press　releases；　they　don't　take　public　credit　for　what　they　do。　They　go　for　the　big…time　stuff　and　they　cover　their　tracks　like　you　wouldn't　believe。　It　takes　resources　to　do　that。　Somebody　is　bankrolling　them　in　a　pretty　big　way。　They've　been　identified　for　nine　jobs　we're　sure　of；　maybe　two　others。　They've　only　had　three　operations　go　bad　　quite　a　track　record。　They　missed　killing　a　judge　in　Londonderry　because　the　RPG　round　was　a　dud　　it　still　took　his　bodyguard　out。　They　tried　to　hit　a　police　barracks　last　February。　Somebody　saw　them　setting　up　and　phoned　in　　but　the　bastards　must　have　been　monitoring　the　police　radio。　They　skipped　before　the　cavalry　arrived。　The　cops　found　an　eighty…two…millimeter　mortar　and　a　box　of　rounds　　high…explosive　and　white　phosphorus；　to　be　exact。　And　you　got　in　the　way　of　the　last　one。
　　　　〃These　suckers　are　getting　pretty　bold；〃　Murray　said。　〃On　the　other　hand；　we　got　one　now。〃　
　　　　〃We？〃　Ryan　said　curiously。　〃It's　not　our　fight。〃　
　　　　〃We're　talking　terrorists。　Jack。　Everybody　wants　them。　We　swap　information　back　and　forth　with　the　Yard　every　day。　Anyway；　the　guy　they　have　in　the　can　right　now；　they'll　keep　talking　at　him。　They　have　a　hook　on　this　one。　The　ULA　is　an　outcast　outfit。　He　is　going　to　be　a　pariah　and　he　knows　it。　His　colleagues　from　PIRA　and　INLA　won't　circle　wagons　around　him。　He'll　go　to　a　maximum…security　prison；　probably　to　one　on　the　Isle　of　Wight；　populated　with　some　real　bad　boys。　Not　all　of　them　are　political　types；　and　the　ordinary　robbers　and　murderers　will　probably　　well；　it's　funny　how　patriotic　these　guys　are。　Spies；　for　example；　have　about　as　much　fun　in　the　joint　as　child　molesters。　This　guy　went　after　the　Royal　Family；　the　one　thing　over　here　that　everybody　loves。　We're　talking　some　serious　hard　time　with　this　kid。　You　think　the　guards　are　going　to　bust　their　ass　looking　out　for　his　well…being？　He's　going　to　learn　a　whole　new　sport。　It's　called　survival。　After　he　has　a　taste　of　it；　people　will　talk　to　him。　Sooner　or　later　that　kid's　going　to　have　to　decide　just　how　mitted　he　is。　He　just　might　break　down　a　little。　Some　have。　That's　what　we　play　for；　anyway。　The　bad　guys　have　the　initiative；　we　have　organization　and　procedures。　If　they　make　a　mistake；　give　us　an　opportunity；　we　can　act　on　it。〃　
　　　　Ryan　nodded。　〃Yeah；　it's　all　intelligence。〃　
　　　　〃That's　right。　Without　the　right　information　we're　crippled。　All　we　can　do　is　plod　along　and　hope　for　a　break。　But　give　us　one　solid　fact　and　we'll　bring　the　whole　friggin'　world　down　on　'em。　It's　like　taking　down　a　brick　wall。　The　hard　part's　getting　that　first　brick　loose。〃　
　　　　〃And　where　do　they　get　their　information？〃
　　　　〃They　told　me　you　tumbled　to　that；〃　Murray　observed　with　a　smile。
　　　　〃I　don't　think　it　was　a　chance　encounter。　Somebody　had　to　tip　them。　They　hit　a　moving　target　making　an　unscheduled　trip。〃　
　　　　〃How　the　hell　did　you　know　that？〃　the　agent　demanded。
　　　　〃Doesn't　matter；　does　it？　People　talk。　Who　knew　that　they　were　ing　in？〃
　　　　〃That　is　being　looked　at。　The　interesting　thing　is　what　they　were　ing　in　for。　Of　course；　that　could　just　be　a　coincidence。　The　Prince　gets　briefed　on　political　and　national　security　stuff；　same　as　the　Queen　does。　Something　happened　with　the　Irish　situation；　negotiations　between　London　and　Dublin。　He　was　ing　in　for　the　briefing。　All　I　can　tell　you。〃
　　　　〃Hey；　if　you　checked　me　out；　you　know　how　I'm　cleared；〃　Ryan　sniffed。
　　　　Murray　grinned。　〃Nice　try；　ace。　If　you　weren't　cleared　TS；　I　wouldn't　have　told　you　this　much。　We're　not　privy　to　it　yet　anyway。　Like　I　said；　it　might　just　have　been　a　coincidence；　but　you　guessed　right　on　the　important　part。　It　was　an　unscheduled　trip　and　somebody　got　the　word　out　for　the　ambush。　Only　way　it　could　have　happened。　You　will　consider　that　classified　information；　Doctor　Ryan。　It　doesn't　go　past　that　door。〃　Murray　was　affable。　He　was　also　very　serious　about　his　job。
　　　　Jack　nodded　agreement。　〃No　problem。　It　was　a　kidnap；　too；　wasn't　it？〃
　　　　The　FBI　agent　grimaced　and　shook　his　head。　〃I've　handled　about　a　half…dozen　kidnappings　and　closed　every　case　with　a　conviction。　We　only　lost　one　hostage　　they　killed　that　kid　the　first　day。　Those　two　were　executed。　I　watched；〃　Murray　said　coldly。　〃Kidnapping　is　a　high…risk　crime　all　the　way　down　the　line。　They　have　to　be　at　a　specific　place　to　get　their　money　　that's　usually　what　gets　'em　caught。　We　can　track　people　like　you　wouldn't　believe；　then　bring　in　the　cavalry　hard　and　fast。　In　this　case　。　。　。　we're　talking　some　impressive　bargaining　chips；　and　there　would　not　be　a　money　transfer　　the　public　release　of　some　'political'　prisoners　is　the　obvious　objective。　The　evidence　does　lean　that　way；　except　that　these　characters　have　never　done　one　of　those。　It　makes　the　escape　procedures　a　lot　more　plex；　but　these　ULA　characters　have　always　had　their　escape　routes　well　planned　beforehand。　I'd　say　you're　probably　right；　but　it's　not　as　clear…cut　as　you　think。　Owens　and　Taylor　aren't　pletely　sure；　and　our　friend　isn't　talking。　Big　surprise。〃
　　　　〃They've　never　made　a　public　announcement；　you　said？　Was　this　supposed　to　be　their　break　into　the　big　time？　〃Their　first　public　announcement；　they　might　as　well　do　it　with　something　spectacular；〃　Ryan　said　thoughtfully。
　　　　〃That's　a　fair　guess。〃　Murray　nodded。　〃It　certainly　would　have　put　them　on　the　map。　Like　I　said；　our　intel　on　these　chaps　is　damned　thin；　almost　all　of　it's　secondhand　stuff　that　es　through　the　PIRA　　which　is　why　we　thought　they　were　actually　part　of　it。　We　haven't　exactly　figured　what　they're　up　to。　Every　one　of　their　operations　has　　how　do　I　say　this？　There　seems　to　be　a　pattern　there；　but　nobody's　ever　figured　it　out。　It's　almost　as　though　the　political　fallout　isn't　aimed　at　us　at　all；　but　that　doesn't　make　any　sense　　not　that　it　has　to　make　sense；〃　the　agent　grunted。　〃It's　not　easy　trying　to　psychoanalyze　the　terrorist　mind。〃　
　　　　〃Any　chance　they'll　e　after　me；　or　〃　　　　　Murray　shook　his　head。　〃Unlikely；　and　the　security's　pretty　tight。　You　know　who　they　have　taking　your　wife　and　kid　around？〃　
　　　　〃SAS　　I　asked。〃
　　　　〃That　youngster's　on　their　Olympic　pistol　team；　and　I　hear　that　he　has　some　field　experience　that　never　made　the　papers。　The　DPG　escort　is　also　one　of　the　varsity；　and　they'll　have　a　chase　car　everywhere　they　go。　The　security　on　you　is　pretty　impressive；　too。　You　have　some　big…league　interest　in　your　safety。　You　can　relax。　And　after　you　get　home　it's　all　behind　you。　None　of　these　groups　has　ever　operated　in　the　U。S。　We're　too　important　to　them。　NORAID　means　more　to　them　psychologically　than　financially。　When　they　fly　to　Boston；　it's　like　crawling　back　into　the　womb；　all　the　beers　people　buy　for　them；　it　tells　them　that　they're　the　good　guys。　No；　if　they　started　raising　hell　out　our　side　of　the　pond　　I　don't　think　they　could　take　being　persona　non　grata　in　Boston。　It's　the　only　real　weak　point　the　PIRA　and　the　rest　have；　and　unfortunately　it's　not　one　that　we　can　exploit　all　that　well。　We've　pretty　much　cut　down　on　the　weapons　pipeline；　but；　hell；　they　get　most　of　their　stuff　from　the　other　side　now。　Or　they　make　their　own。　Like　explosives。　All　you　need　is　a　bag　of　ammonia…based　fertilizer　and　you　can　make　a　respectable　bomb。　You　can't　arrest　a　farmer　for　carrying　fertilizer　in　his　truck；　can　you？　It's　not　as　sexy　as　some　good　plastique；　but　it's　a　hell　of　a　lot　easier　to　get。　For　guns　and　heavier　stuff　　anybody　can　get　AK…47s　and　RPGs；　they're　all　over　the　place。　No；　they　depend　on　us　for　moral　support；　and　there's　quite　a　few　people　who'll　give　it；　even　in　Congress。　Remember　the　fight　over　the　extradition　treaty？　It's　amazing。　These　bastards　kill　people。
　　　　〃Both　sides。〃　Murray　paused　for　a　moment。　〃The　Protestant　crazies　are　just　as　bad。　The　Provisionals　waste　a　prod。　Then　the　Ulster　Volunteer　Force　sends　a　car　through　a　Catholic　neighborhood　and　pops　the　first　convenient　target。　A　lot　of　the　killing　is　purely　random　now。　Maybe　a　third　of　the　k