tc.patriotgames-第123章

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　　　　〃Changing　of　the　guard；　Jack？〃　Marty　observed。　He；　too；　had　packed　up　his　things。　A　security　officer　would　check　the　box　before　he　left。
　　　　〃How　are　you　feeling？〃　
　　　　〃Better；　but　you　can　get　tired　of　watching　daytime　TV。〃　
　　　　〃Taking　all　your　pills？〃　Ryan　asked。
　　　　〃I'll　never　forget　again；　Mom；〃　was　the　answer。　
　　　　〃I　see　there's　nothing　new　on　our　friends。〃
　　　　〃Yeah。　They　dropped　back　into　that　black　hole　they　live　in。　The　FBI　is　worried　that　they're　over　here；　of　course；　but　there　hasn't　even　been　a　hint　of　it。　Of　course；　whenever　anybody's　felt　secure　dealing　with　these　bastards；　they've　gotten　bit　on　the　ass。　Still；　about　the　only　outfit　that　isn't　on　alert　is　the　Delta　Force。　All　kinds　of　assets　are　standing　by。　If　they're　over　here　and　they　show　anybody　a　whisker；　the　whole　world　is　going　to　e　crashing　in　on　them。　'Call　in　the　whole　world。'　We　used　to　say　that　in　Vietnam。〃　Cantor　grunted。　〃I'll　be　in　Monday　and　Tuesday。　You　don't　have　to　say　goodbye　yet。　Have　a　good　weekend。〃　
　　　　〃You　too。〃　Ryan　walked　out；　with　a　new　security　pass　hanging　around　his　neck　and　his　jacket　draped　over　his　shoulder。　It　was　hot　outside；　and　his　Rabbit　didn't　have　air　conditioning。　The　drive　home　along　Route　50　was　plicated　by　all　the　people　heading　to　Ocean　City　for　the　weekend；　anything　to　get　away　from　the　heat　that　had　covered　the　area　like　an　evil　spell　for　two　weeks。　They　were　in　for　a　surprise。　Jack　thought。　A　cold　front　was　supposed　to　e　through。

　　　　〃Howard　County　Police；〃　the　Desk　Sergeant　said。　〃Can　I　help　you？〃
　　　　〃This　is　911；　right？〃　It　was　a　male　voice。
　　　　〃Yes；　sir。　What　seems　to　be　the　problem？〃
　　　　〃Hey；　uh；　my　wife　said　I　shouldn't　get　involved；　you　know；　but　〃　
　　　　〃Can　you　give　me　your　name　and　phone　number；　please？〃　
　　　　〃No　way　　look；　this　house；　uh；　down　the　street。　There's　people　there　with　guns；　you　know？　Machine　guns。〃　
　　　　〃Say　that　again。〃　The　Sergeant's　eyes　narrowed。
　　　　〃Machine　guns　　no　shit；　I　saw　an　M…60　machine　gun；　like　in　the　Army　　y'know；　thirty　caliber；　feeds　off　a　belt；　heavy　bitch　to　pack　along；　a　real　friggin'　machine　gun。　I　saw　some　other　stuff；　too。〃　
　　　　〃Where？〃
　　　　The　voice　became　rapid。　〃Eleven…sixteen　Green　Cottage　Lane。　There's　maybe　　I　mean　I　saw　four　of　'em；　one　black　and　three　white。　They　were　unloading　the　guns　from　a　van。　It　was　three　in　the　morning。　I　had　to　get　up　an'　take　a　leak；　and　I　looked　out　the　bathroom　window；　y'know？　The　garage　door　was　open；　and　the　light　was　on；　and　when　they　passed　the　gun　across；　it　was　in　the　light；　like；　and　I　could　tell　it　was　a　sixty。　Hey；　I　used　to　carry　one　in　the　Army；　y'know？　Anyway；　that's　it；　man；　you　wanna　do　something　about　it；　that's　your　lookout。〃　The　line　clicked　off。　The　Sergeant　called　his　captain　at　once。
　　　　〃What　is　it？〃　The　Sergeant　handed　over　his　notes。　〃Machine　gun？　M…60？〃
　　　　〃He　said　it　was　　he　said　it　was　a　thirty…caliber　that　feeds　off　a　belt。　That's　the　M…60。　That　alert　we　got　from　the　FBI；　Captain　。　。　。　〃
　　　　〃Yeah。〃　The　Station　mander　had　visions　of　promotion　dangling　before　his　eyes　　but　also　visions　of　his　men　in　a　pitched　battle　where　the　perpetrators　had　better　weapons。　〃Get　a　car　out　there。　Tell　them　to　keep　out　of　sight　and　take　no　action。　I'm　going　to　request　a　SWAT　callup　and　get　hold　of　the　feds。〃　
　　　　Less　than　a　minute　later　a　police　car　was　heading　to　the　area。　The　responding　officer　was　a　six…year　veteran　of　the　county　police　who　very　much　wanted　to　be　a　seven…year　veteran。　It　took　him　almost　ten　minutes　to　reach　the　scene。　He　parked　his　car　a　block　away；　behind　a　large　shrub；　and　was　able　to　watch　the　house　without　exposing　himself　as　a　police　officer。　The　shotgun　that　usually　hung　under　the　dashboard　was　in　his　sweating　hands　now；　with　a　double…ought　buck　round　chambered。　Another　car　was　four　minutes　behind　his；　and　two　more　officers　joined　him。　Then　the　whole　world　really　did　seem　to　arrive。　First　a　patrol　sergeant；　then　a　lieutenant；　then　two　captains；　and　finally；　two　agents　from　the　FBI's　Baltimore　office。　The　officer　who　had　first　responded　was　now　one　of　the　Indians　in　a　tribe　top…heavy　with　chiefs。
　　　　The　FBI　Special　Agent　in　Charge　for　the　Baltimore　office　set　up　a　radio　link　with　the　Washington　headquarters；　but　left　the　operation　in　the　hands　of　the　local　police。　The　county　police　had　its　own　SWAT　team；　like　most　local　forces　did；　and　they　quickly　went　to　work。　The　first　order　of　business　was　to　evacuate　the　people　from　the　area's　homes。　To　everyone's　relief；　they　were　able　to　do　that　from　the　rear　in　every　case。　The　people　removed　from　their　homes　were　immediately　interviewed。　Yes；　they　had　seen　people　in　that　house。　Yes；　they　were　mostly　white；　but　there　had　been　at　least　one　black　person。　No；　they　hadn't　seen　any　guns　　in　fact；　they　hardly　saw　the　people　at　all。　One　lady　thought　they　had　a　van；　but　if　so；　it　was　usually　kept　in　the　garage。　The　interviews　went　on　while　the　SWAT　team　moved　in。　The　neighborhood　houses　were　all　of　the　same　style　and　design；　and　the　men　made　a　quick　check　through　one　to　establish　its　layout。　Another　set　up　a　scope…sighted　rifle　in　the　house　directly　across　the　street　and　used　his　sight　to　examine　the　target　home's　windows。
　　　　The　SWAT　team　might　have　waited；　but　the　longer　they　did　that；　the　greater　was　the　risk　of　alerting　their　quarry。　They　moved　in　slowly　and　carefully；　skillfully　using　cover　and　concealment　until　they　were　within　fifty　feet　of　the　target　house。　Anxious；　sharp　eyes　scanned　the　windows　for　movement　and　saw　none。　Could　they　all　be　asleep？　The　team　leader　went　in　first；　sprinting　across　the　yard　and　stopping　under　a　window。　He　held　up　a　stick…on　microphone　and　attached　it　to　the　corner　of　the　window；　listening　to　an　earpiece　for　a　sign　of　occupancy。　The　second…in…mand　watched　the　man's　head　cock　almost　ically　to　one　side；　then　he　spoke　into　a　radio　that　all　his　team　members　could　hear：　〃The　TV's　on。　No　conversation；　I　　something　else；　can't　make　it　out。〃　He　motioned　for　his　team　to　approach；　one　at　a　time；　while　he　crouched　under　the　window；　gun　at　the　ready。　Three　minutes　later　the　team　was　ready。
　　　　〃Team　leader；〃　the　radio　crackled。　〃This　is　Lieutenant　Haber。　We　have　a　young　man　here　who　says　a　van　went　tearing　out　of　that　house　about　quarter　to　five　　that's　about　the　time　the　police　radio　call　went　out。〃
　　　　The　team　leader　waved　acknowledgment　and　treated　the　message　as　something　that　mattered　not　a　bit。　The　team　executed　a　forced　entry　maneuver。　Two　simultaneous　shotgun　blasts　blew　the　hinges　off　the　windowless　side　door　and　it　hadn't　even　hit　the　floor　before　the　team　leader　was　through　the　opening；　training　his　gun　around　the　kitchen。　Nothing。　They　proceeded　through　the　house　in　movements　that　looked　like　a　kind　of　evil　ballet。　The　entire　exercise　was　over　in　a　minute。　The　radio　message　went　out：　〃The　building　is　secure。〃
　　　　The　team　leader　emerged　on　the　front　porch；　his　shotgun　pointed　at　the　floor；　and　pulled　off　his　black　mask　before　he　waved　the　others　in。　His　hands　moved　back　and　forth　across　his　chest　in　the　universal　wave…off　signal。　The　Lieutenant　and　the　senior　FBI　agent　ran　across　the　street　as　he　wiped　the　sweat　away　from　his　eyes。
　　　　〃Well？〃
　　　　〃You're　gonna　love　it；〃　the　team　leader　said。　〃e　on。〃　
　　　　The　living　room　had　a　small…screen　color　TV　on；　sitting　on　a　table。　The　floor　was　covered　with　wrappers　from　McDonald's；　and　the　kitchen　sink　held　what　looked　like　fifty　neatly　stacked　paper　cups。　The　master　bedroom　　it　was　a　few　square　feet　larger　than　the　other　two　　was　the　armory。　Sure　enough；　there　was　an　American　M…60　machine　gun；　with　two　250…round　ammo　boxes；　along　with　a　dozen　AK…47　assault　rifles；　three　of　them　stripped　down　for　cleaning；　and　a　bolt…action　rifle　with　a　telescopic　sight。　On　the　oaken　dresser；　however；　was　a　scanner　radio。　Its　indicator　lights　skipped　on　and　off。　One　of　them　was　on　the　frequency　of　the　Howard　County　Police。　Unlike　the　FBI；　the　local　police　did　not　use　secure　　that　is；　scrambled　　radio　circuits。　The　FBI　agent　walked　out　to　his　vehicle　and　got　Bill　Shaw　on　the　radio。
　　　　〃So　they　monitored　the　police　call　and　split；〃　Shaw　said　after　a　couple　of　minutes。
　　　　〃Looks　like　it。　The　locals　have　a　description　of　the　van　out。　At　least　they　bugged　out　so　fas