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know that。 Bill 。 。 。 I can't say； something's bothering me； and I can't something like that； yeah 。 。 。 I know they've never done it before。 Bill； but it's still bothering me 。 。 。 No； nothing specific that I can point to； but Jimmy Owens brought it up； and now he's got me worrying about it。 Oh； you got the report already？ Good； then you know what I mean。〃
Murray leaned back and stared at the ceiling for a moment。 〃Call it feeling； or instinct call it anything you want； it's bothering me。 I want somebody to act on it 。 。 。 Good man。 How's the family？ Oh； yeah？ Great！ Well； I guess it'll be a happy new year for you。 Okay。 Take care。 'Bye。〃 He set the phone down。 〃Well； that feels a little better；〃 he said quietly to himself。
〃The party starts at nine；〃 his wife said。 She was used to his bringing work home。 He was used to having her remind him of his social obligations。
〃I guess I better get dressed； then。〃 Murray rose and kissed his wife。 He did feel better now。 He'd done something probably no more than having people in the Bureau wonder what was happening to him over here； but he could live with that。 〃Bill's oldest is engaged。 He's going to marry her off to a young agent in the D。C。 Field Office。〃
〃Anyone we know？〃
〃New kid。〃
〃We have to leave soon。〃
〃Okay； okay。〃 He walked to the master bedroom and started to change for the big embassy party。
Chapter 11 Warnings
〃As you see； ladies and gentlemen； the decision Nelson made in this case had the long…term effect of finally putting an end to the stultifying influence of the Royal Navy's formal tactics。〃 Ryan closed his note folder。 〃There is nothing like a decisive victory to teach people a lesson。 Questions？〃
It was Jack's first day back at teaching class。 The room had forty students； all third classmen （that title included the six female mids in the class）； or sophomores in civilian terms； taking Ryan's introductory course in naval history。 There were no questions。 He was surprised。 Jack knew he was a pretty good teacher； but not that good。 After a moment； one of the students stood up。 It was George Winton； a football player from Pittsburgh。
〃Doctor Ryan；〃 he said stiffly； 〃I've been asked to make a presentation on behalf of the class。〃
〃Uh…oh。〃 Jack took half a step backward and scanned the body of students theatrically for the advancing threat。
Mid/3 Winton walked forward and produced a small box from behind his back。 There was a typed sheet on the top。 The young man stood at attention。
〃Attention to orders； For service above and beyond the duty of a tourist even a brainless Marine the class awards Doctor John Ryan the Order of the Purple Target； in the hope that he will duck the next time； lest he bee a part of history rather than a teacher of it。 〃
Winton opened the box and produced a purple ribbon three inches across on which was inscribed in gold： SHOOT ME。 Below it was a brass bull's…eye of equal size。 The mid pinned it to Ryan's shoulder so that the target portion almost covered where he'd been shot。 The class stood and applauded as Ryan shook hands with the class spokesman。
Jack fingered the 〃decoration〃 and looked up at his class。 〃Did my wife put you up to this？〃 They started converging on him。
〃Way to go； Doc！〃 said an aspiring submarine driver。
〃Semper fi！〃 echoed a would…be Marine。
Ryan held up his hands。 He was still getting used to the idea of having his left arm back。 The shoulder ached now that he was really using it； but the surgeon at Hopkins had told him that the stiffness would gradually fade away； and the net impairment to his left shoulder would be less than five percent。
〃Thank you； people； but you still have to take the exam next week！〃
There was general laughter as the kids filed out of the room to their next class。 This was Ryan's last for the day。 He gathered up his books and notes and trailed out of the room for the walk uphill to his office in Leahy Hall。
There was snow on the ground this frigid January day。 Jack had to watch for patches of ice on the brick sidewalk。 Around him the campus of the Naval Academy was a beautiful place。 The immense quadrangle bordered by the chapel to the south； Bancroft Hall to the east； and classroom buildings on the other sides； was a glistening white blanket with pathways shoveled from one place to another。 The kids Ryan thought of them as kids marched about as they always did； a little too earnest and serious for Jack's liking。 They saved their smiles for places where no outsiders might notice。 Each of them had his （or her） shoes spit…shined； and they moved about with straight backs； books tucked under the left arm so as not to interfere with saluting。 There was a lot of that here。 At the top of the hill； at Gate #3； a Marine lance corporal stood with the 〃Jimmy Legs〃 civilian guard。 A normal day at the office； Jack told himself。 It was a good place to work。 The mids were easily the equal of the students of any school in the country； always ready with questions； and； once you earned their trust； capable of some astonishing horseplay。 This was something a visitor to the Academy might never suspect； so serious was the kids' public demeanor。
Jack got into the steam…heated warmth of Leahy Hall and bounded up the steps to his office； laughing to himself at the absurd award that dangled from his shoulder。 He found Robby sitting opposite his desk。
〃What in the hell is that？〃 the pilot inquired。 Jack explained as he set his books down。 Robby started laughing。
〃It's nice to see the kids can unwind a little； even in exam season。 So what's new with you？〃 Jack asked his friend。
〃Well； I'm a Tomcat driver again；〃 Robby announced。 〃Four hours over the weekend。 Oh； man！ Jack； I'm telling you； I had that baby talking to me。 Took her offshore； had her up to mach one…point…four； did a midair refueling； then I came back for some simulated carrier landings； and it was good。 Jack；〃 the pilot concluded。 〃Two more months and I'll be back where I belong。〃
〃That long； Rob？〃
〃Flying this bird is not supposed to be easy or they wouldn't need people of my caliber to do it；〃 Jackson explained seriously。
〃It must be hard to be so humble。〃
Before Robby could respond； there came a knock on the opened door and a man stuck his head in。 〃Doctor Ryan？〃
〃That's right。 Join us。〃
〃I'm Bill Shaw； FBI。〃 The visitor came all the way in and held up his ID card。 About Robby's height； he was a slender man in his mid…forties with eyes so deep set that they almost gave him the look of a raccoon； the kind of eyes that got that way from sixteen…hour days。 A sharp dresser； he looked like a very serious man。 〃Dan Murray asked me to e over to see you。〃
Ryan rose to take his hand。 〃This is Lieutenant mander Jackson。〃
〃Howdy。〃 Robby shook his hand； too。
〃I hope I'm not interrupting anything。〃
〃Not at all we're both finished teaching for the day。 Grab a chair。 What can I do for you？〃
Shaw looked at Jackson but didn't say anything。
〃Well； if you guys have to talk； I can mosey on over to the O…Club 〃
〃Relax； Rob。 Mr。 Shaw； you're among friends。 Can I offer you anything？〃
〃No； thank you。〃 The FBI agent pulled the straight…back chair from next to the door。 〃I work in the counterterrorism unit at FBI headquarters。 Dan asked me to well； you know that the ULA rescued their man Miller from police custody。〃
Now Ryan was pletely serious。 〃Yeah I caught that on TV。 Any idea where they took him to？〃
Shaw shook his head。 〃They just disappeared。〃
〃Quite an operation；〃 Robby noted。 〃They escaped to seaward； right？ Some ship pick them up maybe？〃 This drew a sharp look。 〃You notice my uniform； Mr。 Shaw？ I earn my living out there on the water。〃
〃We're not sure； but that is a possibility。〃
〃Whose ships were out there？〃 Jackson persisted。 This wasn't a law…enforcement problem to Robby。 It was a naval matter。
〃That's being looked at。〃
Jackson and Ryan traded a look。 Robby fished out one of his cigars and lit it。
〃I got a call last week from Dan。 He's a little I wish to emphasize this； only a little concerned that the ULA might 。 。