tc.patriotgames-第29章

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ading　a　recent　edition　of　Yeats'　poetry。　Another　bookish　lad；　though　he　did　not　share　Cooley's　aversion　to　the　sight　of　blood。　His　quiet；　disciplined　demeanor　concealed　an　explosive　capacity　for　action。　A　man　very　like　O'Donnell　himself；　Michael　was。　Like　the　O'Donnell　often　or　twelve　years　before；　his　youth　needed　tempering；　hence　his　assignment　as　chief　of　intelligence　so　that　he　could　learn　the　value　of　deliberation；　of　gathering　all　the　information　he　could　get　before　he　mitted　himself　to　action。　The　Proves　never　really　did　that。　They　used　tactical　intelligence；　but　not　the　strategic　kind　　a　fine　explanation；　O'Donnell　thought；　for　the　mindlessness　of　their　overall　strategy。　Another　of　the　reasons　he　had　left　the　Provisionals　　but　he　would　return　to　the　fold。　Or　more　properly；　the　fold　would　return　to　him。　Then　he　would　have　his　army。　Kevin　already　had　his　plan；　though　not　even　his　closest　associates　knew　it　　at　least　not　all　of　it。
　　　　O'Donnell　sat　in　the　leather　chair　behind　the　desk　and　took　the　envelope　from　his　coat　pocket。　McKenney　discreetly　went　to　the　corner　bar　and　got　his　superior　a　glass　of　whiskey。　With　ice；　a　taste　Kevin　had　acquired　in　hotter　climes　several　years　before。　He　set　the　glass　on　the　desk；　and　O'Donnell　took　it；　sipping　off　a　tiny　bit　without　a　word。
　　　　There　were　six　pages　to　the　document；　and　O'Donnell　read　through　the　single…spaced　pages　as　slowly　and　deliberately　as　McKenney　had　just　been　doing　with　the　words　of　Yeats。　The　younger　man　marveled　at　the　man's　patience。　For　all　his　reputation　as　a　fighter　capable　of　ruthless　action；　the　chief　of　the　ULA　often　seemed　a　creature　made　of　stone；　the　way　he　would　assemble　and　process　data。　Like　a　puter；　but　a　malignant　one。　He　took　fully　twenty　minutes　to　go　through　the　six　pages。
　　　　〃Well；　our　friend　Ryan　is　back　in　America；　where　he　belongs。　Flew　the　Concorde　home；　and　his　wife　arranged　for　a　friend　to　meet　them　at　the　airport。　Next　Monday　I　expect　he'll　be　back　teaching　those　fine　young　men　and　women　at　their　Naval　Academy。〃　O'Donnell　smiled　at　the　humor　of　his　words。　〃His　Highness　and　his　lovely　bride　will　be　back　home　two　days　late。　It　seems　that　their　aircraft　developed　electrical　problems；　and　a　new　instrument　had　to　be　flown　in　all　the　way　from　England　　or　so　the　public　story　will　go。　In　reality；　it　would　seem　that　they　like　New　Zealand　so　much　that　they　wanted　some　additional　time　to　enjoy　their　privacy。　Security　on　their　arrival　will　be　impressive。
　　　　〃In　fact；　looking　this　over；　it　would　seem　that　their　security　for　the　next　few　months　at　least　will　be　impenetrable。〃　
　　　　McKenney　snorted。　〃No　security's　impenetrable。　We've　proven　that　ourselves。〃
　　　　〃Michael；　we　do　not　wish　to　kill　them。　Any　fool　can　do　that；〃　he　said　patiently。　〃Our　objective　demands　that　we　take　them　alive。〃　
　　　　〃But　〃
　　　　Would　they　never　learn？　〃No　buts；　Michael。　If　I　wanted　to　kill　them；　they　would　already　be　dead；　and　this　Ryan　bastard　along　with　them。　It　is　easy　to　kill；　but　that　will　not　achieve　what　we　wish。〃　
　　　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　McKenney　nodded　his　submission。　〃And　Sean？〃　
　　　　〃They　will　be　processing　him　in　Brixton　Prison　for　another　two　weeks　or　so　　our　friends　in　C…13　don't　want　him　far　from　their　reach　for　the　moment。〃　
　　　　〃Does　that　mean　that　Sean　〃
　　　　〃Most　unlikely；〃　O'Donnell　cut　him　off。　〃Still　and　all；　I　think　the　Organization　is　stronger　with　him　than　without　him；　don't　you？〃　
　　　　〃But　how　will　we　know？〃
　　　　〃There　is　a　great　deal　of　high…level　interest　in　our　rade；〃　O'Donnell　half…explained。
　　　　McKenney　nodded　thoughtfully。　He　concealed　his　annoyance　that　the　mander　would　not　share　his　intelligence　source　with　his　own　intelligence　chief。　McKenney　knew　how　valuable　the　information　was；　but　where　it　came　from　was　the　deepest　of　all　the　ULA's　secrets。　The　younger　man　shrugged　it　off。　He　had　his　own　information　sources；　and　his　skill　at　using　their　information　was　growing　on　a　daily　basis。　Having　always　to　wait　so　long　to　act　on　it　chafed　on　him；　but　he　admitted　to　himself　　grudgingly　at　first；　but　with　increasing　conviction　　that　full　preparation　had　allowed　several　tricky　operations　to　go　perfectly。　Another　operation　that　had　not　gone　so　well　had　landed　him　in　the　H…Blocks　of　Long　Kesh　prison。　The　lesson　he'd　learned　from　this　miscued　op　was　that　the　revolution　needed　more　petent　hands。　He'd　e　to　hate　the　PIRA　leadership's　ineffectiveness　even　more　than　he　did　the　British　Army。　The　revolutionary　often　had　more　to　fear　from　friends　than　enemies。
　　　　〃Anything　new　with　our　colleagues？〃　O'Donnell　asked。
　　　　〃Yes；　as　a　matter　of　fact；〃　McKenney　answered　brightly。　Our　colleagues　were　the　Provisional　Wing　of　the　Irish　Republican　Army。　〃One　of　the　cells　of　the　Belfast　Brigade　is　going　to　go　after　a　pub；　day　after　tomorrow。　Some　UVF　chaps　have　been　using　it　of　late　　not　very　smart　of　them；　is　it？〃
　　　　〃I　think　we　can　let　that　one　pass；〃　O'Donnell　judged。　It　would　be　a　bomb；　of　course；　and　it　would　kill　a　number　of　people；　some　of　whom　might　be　members　of　the　Ulster　Volunteer　Force；　whom　he　regarded　as　the　reactionary　forces　of　the　ruling　bourgeoisie　　no　more　than　thugs；　since　they　lacked　any　ideology　at　all。　So　much　the　better　that　some　UVF　would　be　killed；　but　really　any　prod　would　suffice；　since　then　other　UVF　gunmen　would　slink　into　a　Catholic　neighborhood　and　kill　one　or　two　people　on　the　street。　And　the　detectives　of　the　RUC's　Criminal　Investigation　Division　would　investigate；　as　always；　and　no　one　would　admit　to　having　seen　much　of　anything；　as　usual；　and　the　Catholic　neighborhoods　would　retain　their　state　of　revolutionary　instability。　Hate　was　such　a　useful　asset。　Even　more　than　fear；　hate　was　what　sustained　the　Cause。　〃Anything　else？〃
　　　　〃The　bombmaker；　Dwyer；　has　dropped　out　of　sight　again；〃　McKenney　went　on。
　　　　〃The　last　time　that　happened　。　。　。　yes；　England；　wasn't　it？　Another　campaign？〃
　　　　〃Our　man　doesn't　know。　He's　working　on　it；　but　I　have　told　him　to　be　careful。〃
　　　　〃Very　good。〃　O'Donnell　would　think　about　this　one。　Dwyer　was　one　of　the　best　PIRA　bombers；　a　genius　with　delayed　fuses；　someone　Scotland　Yard's　C…13　branch　wanted　as　badly　as　they　wanted　anyone。　Dwyer's　capture　would　be　a　serious　blow　to　the　PIRA　leadership　。　。　。　〃We　want　our　chap　to　be　very　careful　indeed；　but　it　would　be　useful　to　know　where　Dwyer　is。〃　
　　　　McKenney　got　the　message　loud　and　clear。　It　was　too　bad　about　Dwyer；　but　that　colleague　had　picked　the　wrong　side。　〃And　the　Belfast　brigadier？〃　
　　　　〃No。〃　The　chief　shook　his　head。
　　　　〃But　he'll　slip　away　again。　We　needed　a　month　to　〃　
　　　　〃No；　Michael。　Timing　　remember　the　importance　of　timing。　The　operation　is　an　integrated　whole；　not　a　mere　collection　of　events。〃　The　mander　of　the　PIRA's　Belfast　Brigade　　Brigade；　less　than　two　hundred　men；　O'Donnell　thought　wryly　　was　the　most　wanted　man　in　Ulster。　Wanted　by　more　than　one　side；　though　for　the　moment　the　mander　perforce　had　to　let　the　Brits　have　him。　Too　bad。　I　will　dearly　love　to　make　you　pay　personally　for　casting　me　out；　Johnny　Doyle；　for　putting　a　price　on　my　head。　But　on　this　I；　too；　must　be　patient。　After　all；　I　want　more　than　your　head。　〃You　might　also　keep　in　mind　that　our　chaps　have　their　own　skins　to　protect。　The　reason　timing　is　so　important　is　that　what　we　have　planned　can　only　work　once。　That　is　why　we　must　be　patient。　We　must　wait　for　exactly　the　right　moment。〃
　　　　What　right　moment？　What　plan？　McKenney　wanted　to　know。　Only　weeks　before；　O'Donnell　had　announced　that　〃the　moment〃　was　at　hand；　only　to　call　things　off　with　a　last…second　telephone　call　from　London。　Sean　Miller　knew；　as　did　one　or　two　others；　but　McKenney　didn't　even　know　who　those　privileged　fellows　were。　If　there　was　anything　the　mander　believed　in；　it　was　security。　The　intelligence　officer　acknowledged　its　importance；　but　his　youth　chafed　at　the　frustration　of　knowing　the　importance　of　what　was　happening　without　knowing　what　it　was。　
　　　　〃Difficult；　isn't　it；　Mike？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　sir；　it　is；〃　McKenney　admitted　with　a　smile。
　　　　〃Just　keep　in　mind　where　impatience　has　gotten　us；〃　the　leader　said。

Chapter　8　Information

　　　　〃I　guess　that　about　covers　it；　Jimmy。　Thanks　from　the　Bureau　for　tracking　that　guy　down。〃
　　　　〃I　really　don't　think　he's　the　sort　of　tourist　we　need；　Dan；〃　Owens　replied。　A　Floridian　who'd　embezzled　three　million　dollars　from　an　Orlando　bank　had　made　the　mistake　of　stopping　off　in　Britain　on　his　way　to　another　European　country；　one　with　slightly　different　banking　laws。　〃I　think　the　next　time　we'll　let　him　do　some　shopping　on　Bond　Street　before　we　arrest　him；　though。　You　can　call　that　a　fee　　a　fee　for　apprehending　him。〃　
　　　　〃Ha！〃　The　FBI　representative　closed　the　last　folder。　It　was　six　o'clock　local　time。　Dan　Murray　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　Behind　him；　the　brick　Georgian　buildings　across　the　street　paled　in　the　dusk。　Men　were　discreetly　patrolling　the　roofs　there；　as　with　all　the　buildings　on　Grosvenor　Square。　The　American　Embassy　was　not　so　much　heavily　guarded　as　minorly　fortified；　so　many　terrorist　threat　warnings　had　e　and　gone　over　the　past　six　years。　Uniformed　police　officers　stood　in　front　of　the　building；　where　North　Audley　Street　was　closed　off　to　traffic。　The　sidewalk　was　decorated　with　concrete　〃flowerpots〃　that　a　tank　could　surmount　only　with　difficulty；　and　the　rest　of　the　building　had　a　sloped　concrete　glacis　to　fend　off　car　bombs。　Inside；　behind　bullet…resistant　glass；　a　Marine　corporal　stood　guard　beside　a　wall　safe　containing　a　。357　Magnum　Smith　&　Wesson　revolver。　A　hell　of　a　thing；　Murray　thought。　A　hell　of　a　thing。　The　wonderful　world　of　the　international　terrorist。　Murray　hated　working　in　a　building　that　seemed　part　of　the　Maginot　Line；　hated　wondering　if　there　might　be　some　Iranian；　or　Palestinian；　or　Libyan；　or　whatever　madman　of　a　terrorist；　with　an　RPG…7　rocket　launcher　in　a　building　across　the　street　from　his　office。　It　wasn't　fear　for　his　life。　Murray　had　put　his　life　at　risk　more　than　once。　He　hated　the　injustice；　the　insult　to　his　profession；　that　there　were　people　who　would　kill　their　fellow　men　as　a　part　of　some　form　of　political　expression。　But　they're　not　madmen　at　all；　are　they？　The　behavioral　specialists　say　that　they're　not。　They're　romantics　　believers；　people　willing　to　mit　themselves　to　an　ideal；　and　to　mit　any　crime　to　further　it。　Romantics！
　　　　〃Jimmy；　remember　the　good　old　days　when　we　hunted　bank　bandits　who　were　just　in　the　business　for　a　fast　buck？〃　
　　　　〃I've　never　done　any　of　those。　I　was　mainly　concerned　with　ordinary　thievery　until　they　sent　me　to　handling　murders。　But　terrorism　does　make　one　nostalgic　for　the　day　of　the　mon　thug。　I　can　even　remember　when　they　were　fairly　civilized。〃　Owens　refilled　his　glass　with　port。　A　growing　problem　for　the　Metropolitan　Police　was　that　the　criminal　use　of　firearms　was　no　longer　so　rare　as　it　had　once　been；　this　new　tool　made　more　popular　by　the　evening　news　reports　on　terrorism　within　the　U。K。　And　while　the　streets　and　parks　of　London　were　far　safer　than　their　American　counterparts；　they　were　not　as　safe　as　they'd　only　recently　been。　The　times　were　changing　in　London；　too；　and　Owens　didn't　like　it　at　all。
　　　　The　phone　rang。　Murray's　secretary　had　just　left　for　the　night；　and　the　agent　lifted　it。
　　　　〃Murray。　Hi；　Bob。　Yeah；　he's　right　here。　Bob　Highland　for　you；　Jimmy。