tc.thebearandthedragon-第212部分

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　screen　that　would　be　replaced　by　CNN　headquarters　in　Atlanta　。　。　。
　。。。　more　smoke　trails。　Ah；　yes；　they　were　surface…to…air　missiles　。。。　could　such　things　intercept　a　nuclear　missile？　Probably　not；　Zhang　judged。　He　checked　his　watch。　The　sweep　hand　seemed　determined　to　let　the　snail　win　this　race；　it　jumped　so　slowly　from　one　second　to　the　next；　and　Zhang　felt　himself　watching　the　display　on　the　TV　screen　with　anticipation　he　knew　to　be　perverse。　But　America　had　been　his　country's　principal　enemy　for　so　many　years；　had　thwarted　two　of　his　best　and　most　skillfully　laid　plans…and　now　he'd　see　its　destruction　by　means　of　one　of　its　very　own　agencies；　this　cursed　medium　of　television　news；　and　though　Tan　Deshi　claimed　that　it　was　not　an　organ　of　the　American　government；　surely　that　could　not　be　the　case。　The　Ryan　regime　in　Washington　must　have　a　very　cordial　relationship　with　those　minstrels；　they　followed　the　party　line　of　the　Western　governments　so　fawningly。　。　。
　。　。　。　two　more　smoke　trails　。　。　。　the　camera　followed　them　and　。　。　。　what　was　that？　Like　a　meteor；　or　the　landing　light　of　a　mercial　aircraft；　a　bright　light；　seemingly　still　in　the　sky…no；　it　was　moving；　unless　that　was　the　fear　of　the　cameraman　showing…oh；　yes；　that　was　it；　because　the　smoke　trails　seemed　to　seek　it　out。　。　。　but　not　quite　closely　enough；　it　would　seem　。。　。　and　so；　farewell；　Washington；　Zhang　Han　Sen　thought。　Perhaps　there'd　be　adverse　consequences　for　the　People's　Republic；　but　he'd　have　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　death　of…
　…what　was　that？　Like　a　bursting　firework　in　the　sky；　a　shower　of　sparks；　mainly　heading　down　。　。　。　what　did　that　mean　。　。　。　？
　It　was　clear　sixty　seconds　later。　Washington　had　not　been　blotted　from　the　map。　Such　a　pity；　Zhang　thought。　。　。　especially　since　there　would　be　consequences　。　。　。　With　that；　he　washed　and　dressed　and　left　for　the　Council　of　Ministers　Building。
　
　Dear　God；〃　Ryan　breathed。　The　initial　emotions　of　denial　and　elation　were　passing　now。　The　feelings　were　not　unlike　those　following　an　auto　accident。　First　was　disbelief；　then　remedial　action　that　was　more　automatic　than　considered；　then　when　the　danger　was　past　came　the　whiplash　after…fear；　when　the　psyche　started　to　examine　what　had　passed；　and　what　had　almost　been；　and　fear　after　survival；　fear　after　the　danger　was　past；　brought　on　the　real　shakes。　Ryan　remembered　that　Winston　Churchill　had　remarked　that　there　was　nothing　more　elating　than　rifle　fire　that　had　missed…〃to　be　shot　at　without　result〃　was　the　exact　quote　the　President　remembered。　If　so；　Winston　Spencer　Churchill　must　have　had　ice　water　in　his　cardiovascular　system；　or　he　enjoyed　braggadocio　more　than　this　American　President　did。
　〃Well；　I　hope　that　was　the　only　one；〃　Captain　Blandy　observed。
　〃Better　be；　Cap'n。　We　be　out　of　missiles；〃　Chief　Leek　said；　lighting　up　another　smoke　in　accordance　with　the　Presidential　amnesty。
　〃Captain；〃　Jack　said　when　he　was　able　to；　〃every　man　on　this　ship　gets　promoted　one　step　by　Presidential　Order；　and　USS　Gettysburg　gets　a　Presidential　Unit　Citation。　That's　just　for　starters；　of　course。　Where's　a　radio？　I　need　to　talk　to　KNEECAP。〃
　〃Here；　sir。〃　A　sailor　handed　him　a　phone　receiver。　〃The　line's　open；
　〃sir。〃
　〃Robby？〃
　〃Jack？〃
　〃You're　still　Vice　President；〃　SWORDSMAN　told　TOMCAT。
　〃For　now；　I　suppose。　Christ；　Jack；　what　the　hell　were　you　trying　to　do？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure。　It　seemed　like　the　right　idea　at　the　time。〃　Jack　was　seated　now；　both　holding　the　phone　in　his　hand　and　cradling　it　between　cheek　and　shoulder；　lest　he　drop　it　on　the　deck。　〃Is　there　anything　else　ing　in？〃
　〃NORAD　says　the　sky　is　clear…only　one　bird　got　off。　Targeted　on　us。　Shit；　the　Russians　still　have　dedicated　ABM　batteries　all　around　Moscow。　They　probably　could　have　handled　it　better　than　us。〃　Jackson　paused。　〃We're　calling　in　the　Nuclear　Emergency　Search　Team　from　Rocky　Mountain　Arsenal　to　look　for　hot　spots。　DOD　has　people　coordinating　with　the　D。C。　police　。　。　。　Jesus；　Jack；　that　was　just　a　little　intense；　y'know？〃
　〃Yeah；　it　was　that　way　here；　too。　Now　what？〃　the　President　asked。
　〃You　mean　with　China？　Part　of　me　says；　load　up　the　B…2　bombers　on　Guam　with　the　B…61　gravity　bombs　and　send　them　to　Beijing；　but　I　suppose　that's　a　little　bit　of　an　overreaction。〃
　〃I　think　some　kind　of　public　statement…not　sure　what　kind　yet。　What　are　you　gonna　be　doing？〃
　〃I　asked。　The　drill　is　for　us　to　stay　up　for　four　hours　before　we　e　back　to　Andrews。　Same　for　Cathy　and　the　kids。　You　might　want　to　call　them；　too。〃
　〃Roger。　Okay；　Robby；　sit　tight。　See　you　in　a　few　hours。　I　think　I'm　going　to　have　a　stiff　one　or　two。〃
　〃I　hear　that；　buddy。〃
　〃Okay；　POTUS　out。〃　Ryan　handed　the　phone　back。　〃Captain？〃
　〃Yes；　Mr。　President？〃
　〃Your　entire　ship's　crew　is　invited　to　the　White　House；　right　now；　for　some　drinks　on　the　house。　I　think　we　all　need　it。〃
　〃Sir；　I　will　not　disagree　with　that。〃
　〃And　those　who　stay　aboard；　if　they　feel　the　need　to　bend　an　elbow；　as　mander　in　Chief；　I　waive　Navy　Regulations　on　that　subject　for　twenty…four　hours。〃
　〃Aye；　aye；　sir。〃
　〃Chief？〃　Jack　said　next。
　〃Here；　sir。〃　He　handed　his　pack　and　lighter　over。　〃I　got　more　in　my　locker；　sir。〃
　Just　then　two　men　in　civilian　clothes　entered　CIC。　It　was　Hilton　and　Malone　from　the　night　crew。
　〃How'd　you　guys　get　here　so　fast？〃　Ryan　asked。
　〃Andrea　called　us；　sir…did　what　we　think　happened　just　happen？〃
　〃Yep；　and　your　President　needs　a　bottle　and　a　soft　chair；　gentlemen。
　〃We　have　a　car　on　the　pier；　sir。　You　want　to　e　with　us？〃　〃Okay…Captain；　you　get　buses　or　something；　and　e　to　the　White　House　right　away。　If　it　means　locking　the　ship　up　and　leaving　her　without　anyone　aboard；　that's　just　fine　with　me。　Call　the　Marine　Barracks　at　Eighth　and　I　for　security　if　you　need　to。〃
　〃Aye；　aye；　Mr。　President。　We'll　be　along　shortly。〃
　I　might　be　drunk　before　you　get　there；　the　President　thought。
　The　car　Hilton　and　Malone　had　brought　down　was　one　of　the　black　armored　Chevy　Suburbans　that　followed　the　President　everywhere　he　went。　This　one　just　drove　back　to　the　White　House。　The　streets　were　suddenly　filled　with　people　simply　standing　and　looking　up…it　struck　Ryan　as　odd。　The　thing　was　no　longer　in　the　sky；　and　whatever　pieces　were　on　the　ground　were　too　dangerous　to　touch。　In　any　case；　the　drive　back　to　the　White　House　was　uneventful；　and　Ryan　ended　up　in　the　Situation　Room；　strangely　alone。　The　uniformed　people　from　the　White　House　Military　Office…called　Wham…O　by　the　staff；　which　seemed　particularly　inappropriate　at　the　moment…were　all　in　a　state　somewhere　between　bemused　and　stunned。　And　the　immediate　consequence　of　the　great　effort　to　whisk　senior　government　officials　out　of　town…the　scheme　was　officially　called　the　Continuation　of　Government…had　had　the　reverse　effect。　The　government　was　at　the　moment　still　fragmented　in　twenty　or　so　helicopters　and　one　E…4B；　and　quite　unable　to　coordinate　itself。　Ryan　figured　that　the　emergency　was　better　designed　to　withstand　a　nuclear　attack　than　to　avoid　one；　and　that；　at　the　moment；　seemed　very　strange。
　Indeed；　the　big　question　for　the　moment　was　What　the　hell　do　we　do　now？　And　Ryan　didn't　have　much　of　a　clue。　But　then　a　phone　rang　to　help　him。
　〃This　is　President　Ryan。〃
　〃Sir；　this　is　General　Dan　Liggett　at　Strike　mand　in　Omaha。　Mr。　President；　I　gather　we　just　dodged　a　major　bullet。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　think　you　can　say　that；　General。〃
　〃Sir；　do　you　have　any　orders　for　us？〃
　〃Like　what？〃
　〃Well；　sir；　one　option　would　be　retaliation；　and…〃
　〃Oh；　you　mean　because　they　blew　a　chance　to　nuke　us；　we　should　take　the　opportunity　to　nuke　them　for　real？〃
　〃Sir；　it's　my　job　to　present　options；　not　to　advocate　any；〃　Liggett　told　his　mander…in…chief。
　〃General；　do　you　know　where　I　was　during　the　attack？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Gutsy　call；　Mr。　President。〃
　〃Well；　I　am　now　trying　to　deal　with　my　own　restored　life；　and　I　don't　have　a　clue　what　I　ought　to　do　about　the　big　picture；　whatever　the　hell　that　is。　In　another　two　hours　or　so；　maybe　we　can　think　of　something；　but　at　the　moment　I　have　no　idea　at　all。　And　you　know；　I'm　not　sure　I　want　to　have　any　such　idea。　So；　for　the　moment；　General；　we　do　nothing　at　all。　Are　we　clear　on　that？〃
　〃Yes；　Mr。　President。　Nothing　at　all　happens　with　Strike　mand。〃
　〃I'll　get　back　to　you。〃
　〃Jack？〃　a　familiar　voice　called　from　the　door。
　〃Arnie；　I　hate　drinking　alone…except　when　there's　nobody　else　around。　How　about　you　and　me　drain　a　bottle　of　something？　Tell　the　usher　to　bring　down　a　bottle　of　Midleton；　and；　you　know；　have　him　bring　a　glass　for　himself。〃
　〃Is　it　true　you　rode　it　out　on　the　ship　down　at　the　Navy　Yard？〃
　〃Yep。〃　Ryan　bobbed　his　head。
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　couldn't　run　away；　Arnie。　I　couldn't　run　off　to　safety　and　leave　a　couple　of　million　people　to　fry。　Call　it　brave。　Call　it　stupid。　I　just　couldn't　bug　out　that　way。〃
　Van　Damm　leaned　into　the　corridor　and　made　the　drink　order　to　someone　Jack　couldn't　see；　and　then　he　came　back　in。　〃I　was　just　starting　dinner　at　my　place　in　Georgetown　when　CNN　ran　the　flash。　Figured　I　might　as　well　e　here…didn't　really　believe　it　like　I　should　have；　I　suppose。〃
　〃It　was　somewhat　difficult　to　swallow。　I　suppose　I　ought　to　ask　myself　if　it　was　our　fault；　sending　the　special…operations　people　in。　Why　is　it　that　people　second…guess　everything　we　do　here？〃
　〃Jack；　the　world　is　full　of　people　who　can　only　feel　big　by　making　other　people　look　small；　and　the　bigger　the　target；　the　better　they　feel　about　it。　And　reporters　love　to　get　their　opinions；　because　it　makes　a　good　story　to　say　you're　wrong　about　anything。　The　media　prefers　a　good　story　to　a　good　truth　most　of　the　time。　It's　just　the　nature　of　the　business　they're　in。〃
　〃That's　not　fair；　you　know；〃　Ryan　observed；　when　the　head　usher　arrived　with　a　silver　tray；　a　bottle　of　Irish　whiskey；　and　some　glasses　with　ice　already　in　them。　〃Charlie；　you　pour　yourself　one；　too；〃　the　President　told　him。
　〃Mr。　President；　I'm　not　supposed…〃
　〃Today　the　rules　changed；　Mr。　Pemberton。　If　you　get　too　swacked　to　drive　home；　I'll　have　the　Secret　Service　take　you。　Have　I　ever　told　you　what　a　good　guy　you　are；　Charlie？　My　kids　just　plain　love　you。〃
　Charles　Pemberton；　son　and　grandson　of　ushers　at　the　White　House；　poured　three　drinks；　j