tc.redrabbit-第150章

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　　　Dinner　was　quiet　that　night。　Each　of　them　had　his　own　worries；　and　everyone　hoped　that　whatever　the　hell　Colonel　Strokov　of　the　DS　had　in　mind；　it　wasn't　for　this　week；　and　that　they　could　all　fly　back　to　London　the　following　evening　none　the　worse　off　for　the　experience。　One　thing　Ryan　had　learned：　Experienced　field　spooks　that　they　were；　they　were　no　more　fortable　with　this　mission　than　he　was。　It　was　good　not　to　be　alone　in　his　anxiety。　Or　was　that　just　schadenfreude？　What　the　hell；　was　this　how　it　felt　the　night　before　D…Day？　No；　there　was　no　German　Army　waiting　for　them。　Their　job　was　to　prevent　a　possible　murder；　and　the　danger　was　not　even　to　themselves。　It　was　to　someone　else　who　either　didn't　know　or　didn't　care　about　the　danger　to　himself；　and　so　they　had　assumed　responsibility　for　his　life。　Mick　King　had　gotten　it　right　from　his　first　impression　the　day　before。　It　was　a　pig　of　a　mission。
　　　〃More　stuff　from　the　Rabbit；〃　Moore　reported　at　the　usual　evening　get…together。
　　　〃What's　that？〃
　　　〃Basil　says　there's　a　deep…penetration　agent　in　their　Foreign　Office；　and　the　Rabbit　gave　them　enough　information　to　narrow　him　down　to　four　potential　individuals。　'Five'　is　already　looking　at　them。　And　he　gave　them　some　more　on　this　CASSIUS　guy　over　here。　He's　been　working　for　them　just　over　ten　years。　Definitely　a　senior　aide　to　a　senator　on　the　Intelligence　mittee…sounds　like　a　political　adviser。　So　it's　probably　somebody　who's　been　briefed　in　and　has　a　clearance。　That　cuts　it　down　to　eighteen　people　for　the　Bureau　to　check　out。〃
　　　〃What's　he　giving　them；　Arthur？〃　Greer　asked。
　　　〃Sounds　like　whatever　we　tell　The　Hill　about　KGB　operations　gets　back　to　Dzerzhinskiy　Square　in　less　than　a　week。〃
　　　〃I　want　that　son　of　a　bitch；〃　Ritter　announced。　〃If　that's　true；　then　we've　lost　agents　because　of　him。〃　And　Bob　Ritter；　whatever　his　faults；　looked　after　his　agents　like　a　mama　grizzly　bear　with　her　cubs。
　　　〃Well；　he's　been　doing　this　long　enough　that　he's　probably　pretty　fortable　in　his　fieldcraft。〃
　　　〃He　told　us　about　a　Navy　guy…NEPTUNE；　wasn't　it？〃　Greer　remembered。
　　　〃Nothing　new　there；　but　we'll　be　sure　to　ask　him　about　it。　That　could　be　anybody。　How　careful　is　the　Navy　with　their　crypto　gear？〃
　　　Greer　shrugged。　〃Every　single　ship　has　munications　people；　petty　officers；　and　a　missioned　munications　officer。　They're　supposed　to　destroy　the　setting　sheets　and　circuit　boards　on　a　daily　basis；　and　toss　them　over　the　side…and　not　just　one。　Two　people　have　to　see　it；　supposedly。　And　they're　all　cleared…〃
　　　〃But　only　people　with　clearances　can　fuck　us　in　the　ass；〃　Ritter　reminded　them。
　　　〃Only　the　people　you　trust　with　your　money　can　steal　from　you；〃　Judge　Moore　observed。　He'd　seen　enough　criminal　cases　along　that　score。　〃That's　the　problem。　Imagine　how　Ivan's　going　to　feel　if　he　finds　out　about　the　Rabbit。〃
　　　〃That；〃　Ritter　said；　〃is　different。〃
　　　〃Very　good；　Bob；〃　the　DCI　reacted　with　a　laugh。　〃My　wife　says　that　to　me　all　the　time。　It　must　be　the　war　cry　of　women　all　over　the　world…that's　different。　The　other　side　thinks　they're　the　forces　of　Truth　and　Beauty；　too；　remember。〃
　　　〃Yeah；　Judge；　but　we're　going　to　whip　'em。〃
　　　It　was　good　to　see　such　confidence；　especially　in　a　guy　like　Bob　Ritter；　Moore　thought。
　　　〃Still　thinking　about　THE　MASQUE　OF　THE　RED　DEATH；　Robert？〃
　　　〃Putting　some　ideas　together。　Give　me　a　few　weeks。〃
　　　〃Fair　enough。〃
　　　It　was　just　one　in　the　morning　in　Washington　when　Ryan　awoke　on　Italian　time。　The　shower　helped　get　him　alert；　and　the　shave　got　his　face　smooth。　By　seven…thirty；　he　was　heading　down　for　breakfast。　Mrs。　Sharp　fixed　coffee　in　the　Italian　style；　which　surprisingly　tasted　as　though　someone　had　emptied　an　ashtray　into　the　pot。　Jack　wrote　that　off　to　differing　national　tastes。　The　eggs　and　（English）　bacon　were　just　fine；　as　was　the　buttered　toast。　Someone　had　decided　that　men　going　into　action　needed　full　bellies。　A　pity　the　Brits　didn't　know　about　hash　brown　potatoes；　the　most　filling　of　unhealthy　breakfast　foods。
　　　〃All　ready？〃　Sharp　asked；　ing　in。
　　　〃I　guess　we　all　have　to　be。　What　about　the　rest　of　the　crew？〃
　　　〃We　rendezvous　at　the　front　of　the　basilica　in　thirty…five　minutes。〃　And　it　was　only　a　five…minute　drive　from　there。　〃Here's　a　friend　for　you　to　take　along。〃　He　handed　over　a　pistol。
　　　Jack　took　it　and　slid　the　slide　back。　It　was；　fortunately；　empty。
　　　〃You　may　need　this；　too。〃　Sharp　handed　over　two　loaded　magazines。　Sure　enough；　they　were　hardball…full…metal…jacketed…cartridges；　which　would　go　right　through　the　target；　making　only　a　nine…millimeter　hole　in　and　out。　But　Europeans　thought　you　could　drop　an　elephant　with　them。　Yeah；　sure；　Jack　thought；　wishing　for　a　。45　Colt　M1911A1；　which　was　much　better　suited　for　putting　a　man　on　the　ground　and　leaving　him　there　until　the　ambulance　crew　arrived。　But　he'd　never　mastered　the　big　Colt；　though　he　had；　barely；　qualified　with　it。　It　was　with　a　rifle　that　Ryan　could　really　shoot；　but　nearly　anyone　could　shoot　a　rifle。　Sharp　didn't　provide　a　holster。　The　Browning　Hi…Power　would　have　to　go　in　his　belt；　and　he'd　have　to　keep　his　jacket　buttoned　to　conceal　it。　The　bad　thing　about　carrying　a　pistol　was　that　they　were　heavy　damned　things　to　port　around　with　you；　and　without　a　proper　holster　he'd　have　to　keep　adjusting　it　in　his　belt　to　make　sure　it　didn't　fall　out　or　slide　down　his　pants。　That　just　wouldn't　do。　It　would　also　make　sitting　down　a　pain　in　the　gut；　but　there　wouldn't　be　much　of　that　today。　The　spare　magazine　went　into　his　coat　pocket。　He　pulled　the　slide　back；　locked　it　in　place；　and　slid　the　loaded　one　into　the　butt；　then　dropped　the　locking　lever　to　release　the　slide。　The　weapon　was　now　loaded　and　〃in　battery；〃　meaning　ready　to　fire。　On　reflection；　Ryan　carefully　dropped　the　hammer。　A　safety　might　have　sufficed；　but　Ryan　had　been　trained　not　to　trust　safeties。　To　fire　the　weapon；　he'd　have　to　remember　to　cock　the　hammer；　something　he'd　fortunately　forgotten　to　do　with　Sean　Miller。　But　this　time；　if　the　worst　happened；　he　would　not。
　　　〃Time　to　boogie？〃　Jack　asked　Sharp。
　　　〃Does　that　mean　go？〃　the　Chief　of　Station　Rome　asked。　〃I　meant　to　ask　the　other　time　you　said　that。〃
　　　〃Yeah；　like；　boogie　on　down　the　road。　It's　an　Americanism。　'Boogie'　used　to　be　a　kind　of　dance；　I　think。〃
　　　〃And　your　radio。〃　Sharp　pointed。　〃It　clips　on　the　belt　over　your　wallet　pocket。　On/off　switch〃…he　demonstrated…〃earpiece　fastens　to　your　collar；　and　the　microphone　onto　your　collar。　Clever　bit　of　kit；　this。〃
　　　〃Okay。〃　Ryan　got　everything　arranged　properly；　but　left　the　radio　off。　The　spare　batteries　went　into　his　left…side　coat　pocket。　He　didn't　expect　to　need　them；　but　safe　was　always　better　than　sorry。　He　reached　behind　to　find　the　on/off　switch　and　flipped　it　off　and　on。　〃What's　the　range　on　the　radios？〃
　　　〃Three　miles…five　kilometers…the　manual　says。　More　than　we　need。　Ready？〃
　　　〃Yeah。〃　Jack　stood；　set　his　pistol　snugly　on　the　left　side　of　his　belt；　and　followed　Sharp　out　to　the　car。
　　　Traffic　was　agreeably　light　this　morning。　Italian　drivers　were　not；　from　what　he'd　seen　so　far；　the　raving　maniacs　he'd　heard　them　to　be。　But　the　people　out　now　would　be　people　heading　soberly　to　work；　whether　it　was　selling　real　estate　or　working　in　a　warehouse。　One　of　the　difficult　things　for　a　tourist　to　remember　was　that　a　city　was　just　another　city；　not　a　theme　park　set　in　place　for　his　personal　amusement。
　　　And　damned　sure　this　morning　Rome　wasn't　here　for　anything　approaching　that；　was　it？　Jack　asked　himself　coldly。
　　　Sharp　parked　his　official　Bentley　about　where　they　expected　Strokov　to　park。　There　were　other　cars　there；　people　who　worked　in　the　handful　of　shops；　or　perhaps　early　shoppers　hoping　to　get　their　buying　done　before　Wednesday's　regularly　scheduled　chaos。
　　　In　any　case；　this　most　expensive　of　British　motorcars　had　diplomatic　tags；　and　nobody　would　fool　with　it。　Getting　out；　he　followed　Sharp　into　the　piazza　and　reached　back　with　his　right　hand　to　flip　his　radio　on　without　exposing　his　pistol。
　　　〃Okay；〃　he　said　into　his　lapel。　〃Ryan　is　here。　Who　else　is　on　the　net？〃
　　　〃Sparrow　in　place　on　the　colonnade；〃　a　voice　answered　immediately。
　　　〃King；　in　place。〃
　　　〃Ray　Stones；　in　place。〃
　　　〃Parker；　in　p