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There was none of the softness of morality or conscience； only strength and will。 With four police constables around him； Sean Miller was as surely restrained as a wolf in a cage； and he looked at Ryan as a wolf might from behind the bars； without recognition of his humanity。 He was a predator； looking at a 。 。 。 thing and wondering how he might reach it。 The suit and the tie were camouflage； as had been his earlier smile at his friends in the gallery。 He wasn't thinking about them now。 He wasn't thinking about what the court would decide。 He wasn't thinking about prison； Jack knew。 He was thinking only about something named Ryan； something he could see just out of his reach。 In the witness box； Jack's right hand flexed in his lap as though to grasp the pistol which lay in sight on the evidence table a few feet away。
This wasn't an animal in a cage； after all。 Miller had intelligence and education。 He could think and plan； as a human could； but he would not be restrained by any human impulses when he decided to move。 Jack's academic investigation of terrorists for the CIA had dealt with them as abstractions； robots that moved about and did things； and had to be neutralized one way or another。 He'd never expected to meet one。 More important； Jack had never expected to have one look at him in this way。 Didn't he know that Jack was just doing his civic duty？
You could care less about that。 I'm something that got in your way。 I hurt you； killed your friend； and defeated your mission。 You want to get even； don't you？ A wounded animal will always seek out its tormentor。 Jack told himself。 And this wounded animal has a brain。 This one has a memory。 Out of sight to anyone else； he wiped a sweaty hand on his pants。 This one is thinking。
Ryan was frightened in a way that he'd never known before。 It lasted several seconds before he reminded himself that Miller was surrounded by four cops； that the jury would find him guilty； that he would be sentenced to prison for the remainder of his natural life； and that prison life would change the person or thing that lived behind those pale gray eyes。
And I used to be a Marine； Jack told himself。 I'm not afraid of you。 I can handle you； punk。 I took you out once； didn't I？ He smiled back at Sean Miller； just a slight curve at the corner of his own mouth。 Not a wolf a weasel。 Nasty； but not that much to worry about； he told himself。 Jack turned away as though from an exhibit in the zoo。 He wondered if Miller had seen through his quiet bravado。
〃No further questions；〃 Atkinson said。
〃The witness may step down；〃 Mr。 Justice Wheeler said。
Jack stood up from the stool and turned to find the way out。 As he did so； his eyes swept across Miller one last time； long enough to see that the look and the smile hadn't changed。
Jack walked back out to the grand hall as another witness passed in the other direction。 He found Dan Murray waiting for him。
〃Not bad；〃 the FBI agent observed； 〃but you want to be careful locking horns with a lawyer。 He almost tripped you up。〃
〃You think it'll matter？〃
Murray shook his head。 〃Nah。 The trial's a formality； the case is airtight。〃
〃What'll he get？〃
〃Life。 Normally over here 'life' doesn't mean any more than it does stateside six or eight years。 For this kid； 'life' means life。 Oh； there you are； Jimmy。〃
mander Owens came down the corridor and joined them。 〃How did our lad perform？〃
〃Not an Oscar winner； but the jury liked him；〃 Murray said。
〃How can you tell that？〃
〃That's right； you've never been through this； have you？ They sat perfectly still； hardly even breathed while you were telling your story。 They believed everything you said； especially the part about how you've thought and worried about it。 You e across as an honest guy。〃
〃I am；〃 Ryan said。 〃So？〃
〃Not everybody is；〃 Owens pointed out。 〃And juries are actually quite good at noticing it。 That is； some of the time。〃
Murray nodded。 〃We both have some good well； not so good stories about what a jury can do； but when you get down to it； the system works pretty well。 mander Owens； why don't we buy this gentleman a beer？〃
〃A fine idea。 Agent Murray。〃 Owens took Ryan's arm and led him to the staircase：
〃That kid's a scary little bastard； isn't he？〃 Ryan said。 He wanted a professional opinion。
〃You noticed； eh？〃 Murray observed。 〃Wele to the wonderful world of the international terrorist。 Yeah； he's a tough little son of a bitch； all right。 Most of 'em are； at first。〃
〃A year from now he'll have been changed a bit。 He's a hard one； mind； but the hard ones are often rather brittle；〃 Owens said。 〃They sometimes crack。 Time is very much on our side； Jack。 And even if he doesn't； that's one less to worry about。〃
〃A very confident witness；〃 the TV news mentator said。 〃Doctor Ryan fended off a determined attack by the defense counsel； Charles Atkinson； and identified defendant Sean Miller quite positively in the second day of The Mall Murder trial in Old Bailey Number Two。〃 The picture showed Ryan walking down the hill from the courthouse with two men in attendance。 The American was gesturing about something； then laughed as he passed the TV news camera。
〃Our old friend Owens。 Who's the other one？〃 O'Donnell asked。
〃Daniel E。 Murray； FBI representative at Grosvenor Square；〃 replied his intelligence officer。
〃Oh。 Never saw his face。 So that's what he looks like。 Going out for a jar； I'll wager。 The hero and his coat…holders。 Pity we couldn't have had a man with an RPG right there 。 。 。 〃 They'd scouted James Owens once； trying to figure a way to assassinate him； but the man always had a chase car and never used the same route twice。 His house was always watched。 They could have killed him； but the getaway would have been too risky； and O'Donnell was not given to sending his men on suicide missions。 〃Ryan goes home either tomorrow or next day。〃
〃Oh？〃 The intelligence officer hadn't learned that。 Where does Kevin get all his special information 。 。 。？
〃Too bad； isn't it？ Wouldn't it be grand to send him home in a coffin； Michael？〃
〃I thought you said he was not a worthwhile target；〃 Mike McKenney said。
〃Ah； but he's a proud one； isn't he？ Crosses swords with our friend Charlie and prances out of the Bailey for a pint of beer。 Bloody American； so sure of everything。〃 Wouldn't it be nice to 。 。 。 Kevin O'Donnell shook his head。 〃We have other things to plan。 Sir John can wait； and so can we。〃
〃I practically had to hold a gun on somebody to get to do this；〃 Murray said over his shoulder。 The FBI agent was driving his personal car； with a Diplomatic Protection Group escort on the left front seat； and a chase car of C…13 detectives trying to keep up。
Keep your eyes on the damned road； Ryan wished as hard as he could。 His exposure to London traffic to this point had been minimal； and only now did he appreciate that the city's speed limit was considered a matter of contempt by the drivers。 Being on the wrong side of the road didn't help either。
〃Tom Hughes he's the Chief Warder told me what he had planned； and I figured you might want an escort who talks right。〃
And drives right； Ryan thought as they passed a truck lorry on the wrong side。 Or was it the right side？ How do you tell？ He could tell that they'd missed the truck's taillights by about eighteen inches。 English roads were not impressive for their width。
〃Damned shame you didn't get to see very much。〃
〃Well； Cathy did； and I caught a lot of TV。〃
〃What did you watch？〃
Jack laughed。 〃I caught a lot of the replays of the cricket championships。〃
〃Did you ever figure out the rules？〃 Murray asked； turning his head again。
〃It has rules？〃 Ryan asked incredulously。 〃Why spoil it with rules？〃
〃They say it does； but damn if I ever figured them out。 But we're getting even now。〃
〃How's that？〃
〃Football is being pretty popular over here。 Our kind； I mean。 I gave Jimmy Owens a big runaround last year on the difference between offside and illegal procedure。〃
〃You mean encroachment and false start； don't you？〃 the DPG man inquired。
〃See？ They're