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〃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 。 。 。 well； they don't have much of a reason to like you； Doctor Ryan。〃
〃Dan said that none of these groups has ever operated over here；〃 Ryan said cautiously。
〃That's entirely correct。〃 Shaw nodded。 〃It's never happened。 I imagine Dan explained why this is true。 The Provisional IRA continues to get money from over here； I am sorry to say； not much； but some。 They still get some weapons。 There is even reason to believe that they have some surface…to…air missiles 〃
〃What the hell！〃 Jackson's head snapped around。
〃There have been several thefts of Redeye missiles the man…portable one the Army's phasing out now。 They were stolen from a couple of National Guard armories。 This isn't new。 The RUC has captured M…60 machine guns that got over to Ulster the same way。 These weapons were either stolen or bought from some supply sergeants who forgot who they were working for。 We've convicted several of them in the past year； and the Army's setting up a new system to keep track of things。 Only one missile has turned up。 They the PIRA tried to shoot down a British Army helicopter a few months back。 It never made the papers over here； mainly because they missed； and the Brits were able to hush it up。
〃Anyway；〃 Shaw went on； 〃if they were to conduct actual terrorist operations over here； the money and the weapons would probably dry up quite a bit。 The PIRA knows that； and it stands to reason that the ULA does； too。〃
〃Okay；〃 Jack said。 〃They've never operated over here。 But Murray asked you to e here and warn me。 How e？〃
〃There isn't any reason。 If this had e from anyone except Dan； I wouldn't even be here； but Dan's a very experienced agent； and he's a little bit concerned that maybe you should be made aware of his it's not even enough to be a suspicion。 Doctor Ryan。 Call it insurance； like checking the tires on your car before a long drive。〃
〃Then what the hell are you telling me？〃 Ryan said testily。
〃The ULA has dropped out of sight that's not saying much； of course。 I guess it's the way they dropped out of sight。 They pulled a pretty bold operation； and〃 he snapped his fingers 〃disappeared back under their rock。〃
〃Intel；〃 Jack muttered。
〃What's that？〃 Shaw asked。
〃It happened again。 The thing in London that I got in the way of； it resulted from very good intelligence information。 This did； too； didn't it？ They were moving Miller secretly； but the bad guys penetrated Brit security； didn't they？〃
〃I honestly don't know the specifics； but I'd say you probably had that one figured out pretty well；〃 Shaw conceded。
Jack picked up a pencil in his left hand and started twirling it。 〃Do we know anything about what we're up against here？〃
〃They're professionals。 That's bad news for the Brits and the RUC； of course； but it's good news for you。〃
〃How's that？〃 Robby asked。
〃Their disagreement with Doctor Ryan here is more or less a 'personal' matter。 To take action against him would be unprofessional。〃
〃In other words；〃 the pilot said； 〃when you tell Jack that there's nothing for him to really worry about； you're betting on the 'professional' conduct of terrorists。〃
〃That's one way to put it； mander。 Another way is to say that we have long experience dealing with this type of person。〃
〃Uh…huh。〃 Robby stabbed out his cigar。 〃In mathematics that's called inductive reasoning。 It's a conclusion inferred； rather than deduced from specific evidence。 In engineering we call it a WAG。〃
〃Wag？〃 Shaw shook his head。
〃A Wild…Ass Guess。〃 Jackson turned to stare into the FBI man's eyes。 〃Like most operational intelligence reports you can't tell the good ones from the bad ones until it's too damned late。 Excuse me； Mr。 Shaw； I'm afraid that we operators aren't always impressed with the stuff we get from the intelligence munity。〃
〃I knew it was a mistake to e here；〃 Shaw observed。 〃Look； Dan told me over the phone that he doesn't have a single piece of evidence to suggest that there is any chance something unusual will happen。 I've spent the last couple of days going over what we have on this outfit； and there just isn't any real evidence。 He's responding to instinct。 When you're a cop； you learn to do that。〃
Robby nodded at that one。 Pilots trust their instinct； too。 Now； his were telling him something。
〃So；〃 Jack leaned back。 〃What should I do？〃
〃The best defense against terrorists what the security schools teach business executives； for example is to avoid patterns。 Take a slightly different route to work every day。 Alter your time of departure somewhat。 When you drive in； keep an eye on the mirror。 If you see the same vehicle three or more days in a row； take the tag number and call me。 I'll be glad to have it run through the puter no big deal。 It's probably nothing to be worried about； just be a little bit more alert。 With luck； in a few days or weeks we'll be able to call you and tell you to forget the whole thing。 What I am almost certainly doing is alarming you unnecessarily； but you know the rule about how it's better to be safe than sorry； right？〃
〃And if you get any information the other way？〃 Jack asked。
〃I'll be on the phone to you five minutes later。 The Bureau doesn't like the idea of having terrorists operate here。 We work damned hard to keep it from happening； and we've been very effective so far。〃
〃How much of that is luck？〃 Robby asked。
〃Not as much as you think；〃 Shaw replied。 〃Well； Doctor Ryan； I'm really sorry to have worried you about what is probably nothing at all。 Here's my card。 If there is anything we can do for you； don't hesitate to call me。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Shaw。〃 Jack took the card and watched the man leave。 He was silent for a few seconds。 Then he flipped open his phone list and dialed 011…44…1…499…9000。 It took a few seconds for the overseas call to get through。
〃American Embassy；〃 the switchboard operator answered after the first ring。
〃Legal Attaché； please。〃
〃Thank you。 Wait； please。〃 Jack waited。 The operator was back in fifteen seconds。 〃No answer。 Mr。 Murray has gone home for the day no； excuse me； he's out of town for the remainder of the week。 Can I take a message？〃
Jack frowned for a moment。 〃No； thank you。 I'll call back next week。〃
Robby watched his friend hang up。 Jack drummed his fingers on the phone and again remembered what Scan Miller's face had looked like。 He's three thousand miles away。 Jack； Ryan told himself。 〃Maybe；〃 he breathed aloud。
〃Huh？〃
〃I never told you about the one I 。 。 。 captured； I guess。〃
〃The one they sprung？ The one we saw on TV？〃
〃Rob； you ever seen how do I say it？ You ever see somebody that you're just automatically afraid of？〃
〃I think I know what you mean；〃 Robby said to avoid the question。 Jackson didn't know how to answer that。 As a pilot； he'd known fear often enough； but always there was training and experience to deal with it。 There was no man in the world he'd ever been afraid of。
〃At the trial； I looked at him； and I just knew that 〃
〃He's a terrorist； and he kills people。 That would bother me； too。〃 Jackson stood up and looked out the window。 〃Jesus； and they call 'em professionals！ I'm a professional。 I have a code of conduct； I train； I practice； I adhere to standards and rules。〃
〃They're real good at what they do；〃 Jack said quietly。 〃That's what makes them dangerous。 And this ULA outfit is unpredictable。 That's what Dan Murray told me。〃 Jackson turned away from the window。
〃Let's go see somebody。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Just e along； boy。〃 Jackson's voice had the ring of mand when he wanted it to。 He set his white officer's cap on his head just so。
They took the stairs down and walked east； past the chapel and Bancroft Hall's massive； prison…like bulk。 Ryan liked the Academy campus except for that。 He supposed it was necessary for all the mids to experience the corporate identity of military life； but Jack would not have cared to live that way as a college student。 The odd mid snapped a salute at Robby； who returne