tc.patriotgames-第50章
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〃Oh。 Very well。 Stand by。〃 The desk sergeant in Lymington was no stranger to the sea。 He lifted his telephone and ran his finger down a list of emergency numbers till he found the right one。 Two minutes later he was back to the ferry。
〃We have a tugboat heading towards you right now。 Please confirm your position three miles south of Lisle Court。〃
〃That is correct； but we are drifting northeast。 Our radar is still operating。 We can guide the tug in。 For Christ's good sake； tell him to hurry。 We have wounded aboard。〃
The Sergeant bolted upright in his chair。 〃Say again repeat your last。〃
The Captain explained in as few words as possible now that help was en route to his ship。 Ashore； the Sergeant called his superior； then the local superintendent。 Another call went to London。 Fifteen minutes later； a Royal Navy flight crew was warming up a Sea King rescue helicopter at Gosport。 They flew first to the naval hospital at Portsmouth to pick up a doctor and a medical orderly； then reversed course into the teeth of the gale。 It took twenty dreadful minutes to find her； the pilot fighting his aircraft through the buffering winds while the copilot used the look…down radar to pick the ferry's profile out from the sea return on the scope。 That was the easy part。
He had to give his aircraft more than forty knots of forward speed just to hold her steady over the boat and the wind never stayed the same for more than a few seconds； veering a few degrees in direction； changing ten knots in speed as he struggled with the controls to maintain something like a hover over her。 Aft； the crew chief wrapped the rescue sling around the doctor first； holding him at the open door。 Over the inter； the pilot told the chief to lower away。 At least they had a fairly large target。 Two crewmen waited on the top deck of the ferry to receive the doctor。 They'd never done it before； but the helicopter crew had； dropping him rapidly to ten feet over the rocking deck； then mote easily the last few feet。 One crewman tackled the doctor and detached the collar。 The medical orderly came next； cursing fate and nature all the way down。 He too arrived safely； and the helicopter shot upward to get away from the dangerous surface。
〃Surgeon Lieutenant Dilk； Doctor。〃
〃Wele。 I'm afraid my practice is usually limited to horses and dogs；〃 the vet replied at once。 〃One sucking chest； the other three are belly wounds。 One died I did my best； but 〃 there wasn't much else to say。 〃Fucking murderers！〃
The sound of a diesel horn announced the arrival of the tugboat。 Lieutenant Dilk didn't bother looking while the Captain and crew caught the messenger line and hauled in a lowing wire。 Together； the doctors administered morphine and worked to stabilize the wounded。
The helicopter was already gone southwest； a grimmer purpose to their second mission for the day。 Another helicopter； this one with armed Marines aboard； was lifting off from Gosport while the first searched the surface with radar and eyes for a black ten…meter zodiac…type rubber boat。 Orders had e from the Home Office with record speed； and for once they were orders that men in uniform were trained and equipped to handle： Locate and destroy。
〃The radar's hopeless；〃 the copilot reported over the inter。
The pilot nodded agreement。 On a calm day they'd have a good chance to pick the rubber boat out； but the return from the confused seas and the flying spray made radar detection impossible。
〃They can't have gone too far； and visibility isn't all that bad from up here。 We'll do a quartering search and eyeball the bastards。〃
〃Where do we start？〃
〃Off the Needles； then inward to Christchurch Bay； then we'll work west if we have to。 We'll catch the bastards before they make landfall and have the bootnecks meet them on the beach。 You heard the orders。〃
〃Indeed。〃 The copilot activated his tactical navigation display to set up the search pattern。 Ninety minutes later it was plain that they'd searched in the wrong place。 Surprised baffled the helicopters returned to Gosport empty…handed。 The pilot went into the ready shack and found two very senior police officers。
〃Well？〃
〃We searched from the Needles to Poole Bay we didn't miss a thing。〃 The pilot traced his flight path on the chart。 〃That type of boat can make perhaps twenty knots in these sea conditions at most； and then only with an expert crew。 We should not have missed them。〃 The pilot sipped at a mug of tea。 He stared at the chart and shook his head in disbelief。 〃No way we could have missed them！ Not with two machines up。〃
〃What if they went seaward； what if they went south？〃
〃But where？ Even if they carried enough fuel to cross the Channel； which I doubt； only a madman would try it。 There will be twenty…foot seas out there； and the gale is still freshening。 Suicide；〃 the pilot concluded。
〃Well； we know that they're not madmen； they're too damned smart for that。 No way they could have gotten past you； made landfall before you caught up with them？〃
〃Not a chance。 None。〃 The flyer was emphatic。
〃Then where the hell are they？〃
〃I'm sorry； sir； but I haven't a clue。 Perhaps they sank。〃
〃Do you believe that？〃 the cop demanded。
〃No； sir。〃
mander James Owens turned away。 He looked out the windows。 The pilot was right； the storm was worsening。 The phone rang。
〃For you； sir。〃 A petty officer held it up。
〃Owens。 Yes？〃 His face changed from sadness to rage and back。 〃Thank you。 Please keep us posted。 That was the hospital。 Another of the wounded died。 Sergeant Highland's in surgery now。 One of the bullets hit his spine。 That's a total of nine dead； I believe。 Gentlemen； is there anything you can suggest to us？ I'd be quite willing to hire a gypsy fortune teller at the moment。〃
〃Perhaps they made south from the Needles； then curved east and made landfall on the Isle of Wight。〃
Owens shook his head。 〃We have people there。 Nothing。〃
〃Then they might have rendezvoused with a ship。 There is the usual amount of traffic in the Channel。〃
〃Any way to check that？〃
The pilot shook his head。 〃No。 There's a ship…traffic…control radar at Dover Strait； but not here。 We can't board every ship； can we？〃
〃Very well。 Gentlemen； thank you for your efforts； particularly getting your surgeon out as quickly as you did。 I was told that this action saved several lives。〃 mander Owens walked out of the building。 Those left behind marveled at his self…control。 Outside； the senior detective looked up into the leaden sky and swore a mental curse at fortune； but he was too consumed by anger to show what he felt。 Owens was a man accustomed to concealing what he thought and felt。 Emotions； he often lectured his men； had no place in police work。 Of course that was false； and like many cops Owens only succeeded in turning his rage inward。 That accounted for the packet of antacid pills always in his coat pocket； and the quiet spells at home that his wife had learned to live with。 He reached in his shirt pocket for a cigarette that wasn't there； then snorted to himself how did you ever break that habit； Jimmy？ He stood alone in the parking lot for a moment； as though the cold rain would dampen his anger。 But it only gave him a chill； and he couldn't afford that。 He'd have to answer for this； answer to the missioner of the Metropolitan Police； answer to the Home Office。 Someone not me； thank God would also have to answer to the Crown。
That thought hammered home。 He had failed them。 He'd failed them twice。 He had failed to detect and prevent the original attack on The Mall； and only the incredible luck of that Yank's intervention had saved the day。 Then； when everything had subsequently gone right； this failure。 Nothing like this had ever happened before。 Owens was responsible。 It had all happened on his watch。 He had personally set up the transport scheme。 The method was of his choosing。 He had established the security procedures。 Picked the day。 Picked the routes。 Picked the men； all dead now； except for Bob Highland。
How did they know？ Owens demanded of himself。 They knew when； they knew where。 How did they know？ Well； he tol
