tc.patriotgames-第47章

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　　　　〃You're　pushing；　Jack；〃　Cantor　warned。　〃I've　seen　the　data；　too。　It's　mainly　negative。　The　Proves　who　had　the　information　sweated　out　of　them　mainly　said　that　certain　operations　weren't　theirs。　The　conclusion　that　ULA　did　'em　is　inferential　　circumstantial。　I　don't　think　that　this　stuff　is　as　clear　as　you　do。〃　
　　　　〃No；　the　two　guys　who　did　this　report　make　a　good　case　for　putting　the　ULA　fingerprint　on　these　ops。　What　the　ULA　has　is　its　own　style；　Marty！　We　can　identify　that；　can't　we？〃　
　　　　〃You've　constructed　a　circular　argument；〃　Cantor　pointed　out。　〃O'Donnell　es　from　the　Proves；　therefore　he　must　have　recruited　from　there；　therefore　he　must　have　people　in　there；　et　cetera。　Your　basic　arguments　are　logical；　but　try　to　remember　that　they're　based　on　a　very　shaky　foundation。　What　if　the　ULA　really　is　a　special…action　group　of　the　Provisionals？　Isn't　it　in　their　interest　to　have　something　like　that？〃　Cantor　was　a　splendid　devil's　advocate；　one　of　the　reasons　he　was　Greer's　executive　assistant。
　　　　〃Okay；　there　is　some　truth　to　that；〃　Ryan　admitted。　〃Still；　everything　I　say　makes　sense；　assuming　that　the　ULA　is　real。〃　
　　　　〃Granted　that　it's　logical。　But　not　proven。〃
　　　　〃So　it's　the　first　logical　thing　we　have　for　these　characters。　What　else　does　that　tell　us？〃　
　　　　Cantor　grinned。　〃Let　me　know　when　you　figure　it　out。〃　
　　　　〃Can　I　talk　to　anybody　about　this？〃　
　　　　〃Like　who　　I　just　want　to　ask　before　I　say　no。〃　
　　　　〃The　Legal　Attache　in　London　　Dan　Murray；〃　Ryan　said。　〃He's　supposed　to　be　cleared　all　the　way　on　this　material；　isn't　he？〃
　　　　〃Yeah；　he　is；　and　he　works　with　our　people；　too。　Okay；　you　can　talk　with　him。　That　keeps　it　in　the　family。〃　
　　　　〃Thanks。〃

　　　　Five　minutes　later　Cantor　was　sitting　across　from　Admiral　Greer's　desk。　　〃He　really　knows　how　to　ask　the　right　questions。〃　
　　　　〃So　what　did　he　tumble　to？〃　the　Admiral　asked。
　　　　〃The　same　questions　that　Emil　Jacobs　and　his　team　have　been　asking：　What's　O'Donnell　up　to？　Does　he　have　the　PIRA　infiltrated？　If　so；　why？〃　
　　　　〃And　Jack　says　。　。　。？〃
　　　　〃Same　as　Jacobs　and　the　FBI　evaluation：　O'Donnell　is　a　counterintelligence　type　by　training。　The　Proves　want　his　hide　on　the　barn　door；　and　the　best　way　to　keep　his　hide　where　it　belongs　is　to　have　people　inside　to　warn　him　if　they　get　too　close。〃　
　　　　The　Admiral　nodded　agreement；　then　looked　away　for　a　moment。　That　was　only　part　of　an　answer；　his　instincts　told　him。　There　had　to　be　more。　〃Anything　else？〃
　　　　〃The　training　stuff。　He　hasn't　sifted　through　all　the　data　yet。　I　think　we　should　give　him　some　time。　But　you　were　right；　sir。　He's　pretty　sharp。〃

　　　　Murray　lifted　his　phone　and　pushed　the　right　button　without　paying　much　attention。　〃Yeah？〃　
　　　　〃Dan？　This　is　Jack　Ryan；〃　the　voice　on　the　phone　said。　
　　　　〃How's　it　going；　teacher？〃　
　　　　〃Not　bad。　Something　I　want　to　talk　over　with　you。〃　
　　　　〃Shoot。〃　
　　　　〃I　think　the　ULA　has　the　PIRA　infiltrated。〃
　　　　〃What？〃　Murray　snapped　upright　in　his　chair。　〃Hey；　ace；　I　can't　〃　He　looked　at　the　telephone。　The　line　he　was　talking　on　was　　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　on　a　secure　line？〃　
　　　　〃Let's　say　that　I'm　back　in　government　service；〃　Ryan　replied　coyly。
　　　　〃Nobody　told　me。〃　
　　　　〃So　what　do　you　think？〃
　　　　〃I　think　it's　a　possibility。　Jimmy　came　up　with　the　idea　about　three　months　back。　The　Bureau　agrees　that　it　makes　sense。　There　is　no　objective　evidence　to　support　the　theory；　but　everybody　thinks　it's　a　logical　　I　mean；　it　would　be　a　smart　thing　for　our　friend　Kevin　to　do；　if　he　can。　Remember　that　the　PIRA　has　very　good　internal　security；　Jack。〃
　　　　〃You　told　me　that　most　of　what　we　know　about　the　ULA　es　from　PIRA　sources。　How　do　they　get　the　info？〃　Ryan　asked　rapidly。
　　　　〃What？　You　lost　me。〃　
　　　　〃How　does　the　PIRA　find　out　what　the　ULA　is　doing？〃　
　　　　〃Oh；　okay。　That　we　don't　know。〃　It　was　something　that　bothered　Murray；　and　James　Owens；　but　cops　deal　all　the　time　with　anonymous　information　sources。　
　　　　〃Why　would　they　be　doing　that？〃
　　　　〃Telling　the　Proves　what　they're　up　to？　We　have　no　idea。　If　you　have　a　suggestion；　I'm　open　to　it。〃
　　　　〃How　about　recruiting　new　members　for　his　team？〃　Ryan　asked。
　　　　〃Why　don't　you　think　that　one　over　for　a　few　seconds；〃　Murray　replied　immediately。　Ryan　had　just　rediscovered　the　flat　earth　theory。
　　　　There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　〃Oh　　then　he'd　risk　being　infiltrated　by　the　Provisionals。〃
　　　　〃Very　good；　ace。　If　O'Donnell's　got　them　infiltrated　as　a　security　measure　to　protect　himself；　why　invite　members　of　the　group　that　wants　his　ass　into　his　own　fold？　If　you　want　to　kill　yourself；　there're　simpler　ways。　Jack。〃　Murray　had　to　laugh。　He　could　hear　Ryan　deflate　over　the　phone。　
　　　　〃Okay；　I　guess　I　had　that　ing。　Thanks。〃
　　　　〃Sorry　to　rain　on　your　parade；　but　we　buried　that　idea　a　couple　of　months　ago。〃
　　　　〃But　he　must　have　recruited　his　people　from　the　Provisionals　to　begin　with；〃　Ryan　objected　belatedly。　He　cursed　himself　for　being　so　slow；　but　remembered　that　Murray　had　been　an　expert　on　this　subject　for　years。
　　　　〃Yeah；　I'll　buy　that；　but　he　kept　the　numbers　very　low；〃　Murray　said。　〃The　bigger　the　organization　gets；　the　greater　the　risk　that　the　Proves　will　infiltrate　　and　destroy　　him。　Hey；　they　really　want　his　ass　on　a　platter。　Jack。〃　Murray　stopped　short　of　revealing　the　deal　David　Ashley　had　cut　with　the　PIRA。　CIA　didn't　know　about　that　yet。
　　　　〃How's　the　family？〃　he　asked；　changing　the　subject。　
　　　　〃Fine。〃　
　　　　〃Bill　Shaw　says　he　talked　to　you　last　week　。　。　。　〃　Murray　said。
　　　　〃Yeah。　That's　why　I'm　here　now。　You've　got　me　looking　over　my　shoulder；　Dan。　Anything　else　that　you've　cued　in　on？〃　
　　　　It　was　Murray's　turn　to　deflate。　〃The　more　I　think　about　it；　the　more　it　looks　like　I　got　worried　over　nothing。　No　evidence　at　all；　Jack。　It　was　just　instinct；　you　know；　like　from　an　old　woman。　Sorry。　I　think　I　just　overreacted　to　something　Jimmy　said。　Hope　I　didn't　worry　you　too　much。〃
　　　　〃Don't　sweat　it；〃　Jack　replied。　〃Well；　I　have　to　clear　out　of　here。　See　ya。〃
　　　　〃Yeah。　'Bye；　Jack。〃　Murray　replaced　the　phone　in　the　holder　and　went　back　to　his　paperwork。

　　　　Ryan　did　much　the　same。　He　had　to　leave　by　noon　in　order　to　make　his　first　class　of　the　day。　The　messenger　came　back　with　his　cart　and　took　the　files　away；　along　with　Jack's　notes；　which；　of　course；　were　also　classified。　He　left　the　building　a　few　minutes　later；　his　mind　still　sifting　through　the　data　he'd　read。
　　　　What　Jack　didn't　know　was　that　in　the　new　annex　to　the　CIA　headquarters　building　was　the　headquarters　of　the　National　Reconnaissance　Office。　This　was　a　joint　CIA　　Air　Force　agency　that　managed　the　data　from　satellites　and；　to　a　lesser　degree；　high…altitude　reconnaissance　aircraft。
　　　　The　new　generation　of　satellites　used　television…type　scanning　cameras　instead　of　photographic　film。　One　consequence　of　this　was　that　they　could　be　used　almost　continuously　instead　of　husbanding　their　film　for　coverage　of　the　Soviet　Union　and　its　satellites。　This　allowed　the　NRO　to　assemble　a　much　better　data　base　on　world　trends　and　events；　and　had　generated　scores　of　new　projects　for　hundreds　of　new　analysts　　explaining　the　newly　built　annex　behind　the　original　CIA　building。
　　　　One　junior　analyst's　brief　was　coverage　on　camps　suspected　to　be　used　for　the　training　of　terrorists。　The　project　had　not　yet　shown　enough　results　to　be　treated　more　importantly；　though　the　data　and　photographs　were　passed　on　to　the　Task　Force　on　bating　Terrorism。　TFCT　used　the　satellite　photos；　as　was　the　norm　in　government　circles。　The　staffers　oohed　and　ahhed　over　the　clarity　of　the　shots；　were　briefed　on　the　new　charge…coupled　devices　that　enabled　the　cameras　to　get　high…resolution　pictures　despite　atmospheric　disturbances；　noted　that；　despite　all　the　hoopla；　you　really　couldn't　read　the　numbers　on　a　license　plate　　and　promptly　forgot　about　them　as　anything　more　than　pictures　of　camps　where　terrorists　might　be　training。　Photoreconnaissance　interpretation　had　always　been　a　narrow　field　for　experts　only。　The　analysis　work　was　simply　too　technical。
　　　　And　as　was　so　often　the　case；　here　was　the　nib。　The　junior　analyst　was　better　described　as　a　technician。　He　collected　and　collated　data；　but　didn't　really　analyze　it。　That　was　someone　else's　job；　for　when　the　project　was　finished。　In　this　particular　case　the　data　being　processed　noted　infrared　energy。　The　camps　he　examined　on　a　daily　basis　　there　were　over　two　hundred　　were　mainly　in　deserts。　That　was　remarkably　good　luck。　While　everyone　knew　that　deserts　suffer　from　blistering　daylight　heat；　it　was　less　appreciated　that　they　can　get　quite　cold　at　night　　falling　below　freezing　in　many　cases。　So　the　technician　was　trying　to　determine　the　occupancy　of　the　camps　from　the　number　of　buildings　that　were　heated　during　the　cool　nights。　These　showed　up　quite　well　on　the　infrared：　bright　blobs　of　white　on　a　cold；　black　background。
　　　　A　puter　stored　the　digital　signals　from　the　satellite。　The　technician　called　up　the　camps　by　code　number；　noted　the　number　of　heated　buildings　in　each；　and　transferred　the　data　to　a　second　data　file。　Camp　11…5…18；　located　at　28°　32'　47〃　North　Latitude；　19°　07'　52〃　East　Longitude；　had　six　buildings；　one　of　which　was　a　garage。　This　one　had　at　least　two　vehicles　in　it；　though　the　building　was　unheated；　the　thermal　signatures　of　two　internal…bustion　engines　radiated　clearly　through　the　corrugated　steel　roofs。　Of　the　other　five　buildings；　only　one　had　its　heater　on；　the　technician　noted。　The　previous　week　　he　checked　　three　had　been　warm。　The　warm　one　now；　the　data　sheet　said；　was　occupied　by　a　small　guard　and　maintenance　group；　thought　to　be　five　men。　It　evidently　had　its　own　kitchen；　since　one　part　of　the　building　was　always　a　little　warmer　than　the　rest。　Another　building　was　a　full…sized　dining　hall。　That　and　the　dormitories　were　now　empty。　The　technician　made　the　appropriate　notations；　and　the　puter　assigned　them　to　a　simple　line　graph　that　peaked　when　occupancy　was　high　and　fell　when　it　was　low。　The　technician　didn't　have　the　time　to　check　the　patterns　on　the　graph；　but　he　assumed；　wrongly；　that　someone　else　did。

　　　　〃You　remember。　Lieutenant；〃　Breckenridge　said。　〃Deep　breath；　let　it　half　out　and　squeeeze　gently。〃
　　　　The　9mm　Browning　automatic　had　excellent　sights。　Ryan　centered　them　on　the　circular　target　and　did　what　the　Gunny　said。　He　did　it　right。　The　flash　and　sound　of　the　shot　came　almost　as　a　surprise　to　him。　The　automatic　ejected　the　spent　round　and　was　ready　to　fire　again　as　Jack　brought　the　pistol　down　from　recoil。　He　repeated　the　procedure　four　more　times。　The　pistol　locked　open　on　the　empty　clip　and　Ryan　set　it　down。　Next　he　took　off　the　muff…type　ear　protectors。　His　ears　were　sweaty。
　　　　〃Two　nines；　three　tens；　two　of　them　in　the　X…ring。〃　Breckenridge　stood　away　from　the　spotting　scope。　〃Not　as　good　as　the　last　time。〃
　　　　〃My　arm's　tired；〃　Ryan　explained。　The　pistol　weighed　almost　forty　ounces。　It　didn't　seem　like　much　weight　until　you　had　to　hold　it　stone…steady　at　arm's　length　for　an　hour。
　　　　〃You　can　get　some　wrist　weights　　you　know；　like　joggers　use。　It'll　build　up　your　forearm　and　wrist　muscles。〃　Breckenridge　slipped　five　rounds　into　the　clip　of　Ryan's　pistol　and　stepped　to　the　line　to　aim　at　a　fresh　target。
　　　　The　Sergeant　Major　fined　all　five　in