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the dreams in which his weapon never fired despite his efforts； Cathy's frantic cries of terror and alarm ringing in his ears。 He'd won that battle； hadn't he？ Why did the dreams think otherwise？ Something to talk to a pshrink about； perhaps； but as the old wives' tale went； you had to be crazy to go to a pshrink。。。
Sally was running about in circles； looking at her new bedroom； admiring the new bed being assembled by the removers。 Jack kept out of the way。 Cathy had told him he was unfitted even to supervise this sort of thing； despite his tool kit； without which no American male feels very manly； which had been among the first things unpacked。 The removers had their own tools； of course…and they； too； had been vetted by SIS； lest some KGB…controlled agent plant a bug in the house。 It just wouldn't do； old boy。
〃Where's the tourist？〃 an American voice asked。 Ryan went to the foyer to see who it…
〃Dan！ How the hell are you？〃
〃It was a boring day at the office； so Liz and I came out to see how things are going for you。〃 And sure enough； just behind the Legal Attache was his beauty…queen wife； the long…suffering St。 Liz of the FBI Wives。 Mrs。 Murray went over to Cathy for a sisterly hug and kiss； then the two of them went immediately off to the garden。 Cathy loved the roses； of course； which was fine with Jack。 His dad had carried all the gardening genes in the Ryan family； and passed on none to his son。 Murray gazed at his friend。 〃You look like hell。〃
〃Long flight； boring book；〃 Jack explained。
〃Didn't you sleep on the way across？〃 Murray asked in surprise。
〃On an airplane？〃 Ryan responded。
〃It bothers you that much？〃
〃Dan； on a ship； you can see what's holding you up。 Not in an airplane。〃
That gave Murray a chuckle。 〃Better get used to it； bud。 You're gonna be building up a lot of frequent…flyer miles hopping back and forth to Dulles。〃
〃I suppose。〃 Strangely； Jack hadn't really considered that when he'd accepted the posting。 Dumb； he'd realized too late。 He'd be going back and forth to Langley at least once a month…not the greatest thing for a reluctant flyer。
〃The moving going okay？ You can trust this bunch； you know。 Bas has used them for twenty…plus years； my friends at the Yard like them； too。 Half of these guys are ex…cops。〃 And cops； he didn't have to say； were more reliable than spooks。
〃No bugs in the bathroom？ Great；〃 Ryan observed。 During his very short experience of it so far； Ryan had learned that life in the intelligence service was a little different from teaching history at the Naval Academy。 There probably were bugs…but wired to Basil's office。。。
〃I know。 Me； too。 Good news； though： You'll be seeing a lot of me…if you don't mind。〃
Ryan nodded tiredly； trying to manage a grin。 〃Well； at least I'll have somebody to have a beer with。〃
〃That's the national sport。 More business gets done in pubs than at the office。 Their version of the country club。〃
〃The beer's not too bad。〃
〃Better than the piss we have at home。 I'm fully converted on that score。〃
〃They told me at Langley that you do a lot of Intel work for Emil Jacobs。〃
〃Some。〃 Murray nodded。 〃Fact of the matter is； we're better at it than a lot of you Agency types。 The Operations people haven't recovered from seventy…seven yet； and I'm not sure that'll happen for a while。〃
Ryan had to agree。 〃Admiral Greer thinks so； too。 Bob Ritter is pretty smart…maybe a little too smart； if you know what I mean…but he doesn't have enough friends in Congress to get his empire expanded the way that he wants。〃
Greer was the CIA's chief analyst； Ritter the Ops director。 The two were often at odds。
〃They don't trust Ritter like they do the DDL Carryover from the Church mittee mess ten years ago。 You know； the Senate never seems to remember who ran those operations。 They canonize the boss and crucify the troops who tried to follow his orders…though badly。 Damn； was that a…〃 Murray searched for the word。 〃The Germans call it a schweinerei。 No translation； exactly； but； you know； it just sounds like what it is。〃
Jack grunted with amusement。 〃Yeah； better than fuckup。〃
The CIA's effort to assassinate Fidel Castro； which had been run out of the office of the Attorney General during the time of Camelot； had been right out of Woody Woodpecker； with a sprinkling of the Three Stooges： politicians trying to imitate James Bond； a character made up by a failed Brit spook。 The movies just weren't the real world； as Ryan had learned the hard way； first in London； and then in his own living room。
〃So； Dan； how good are they really？〃
〃The Brits？〃 Murray led Ryan out onto the front lawn。 The removers were vetted by SIS…but Murray was FBI。 〃Basil is world…class。 That's why he's lasted so long。 He was a brilliant field spook； and he was the first guy to get a bad vibe about Philby…and remember； Basil was just a rookie。 He's good at administration； one of the most agile thinkers I've ever e across。 The local politicians on both sides of the aisle like him and trust him。 That isn't easy。 Kinda like Hoover was for us once； but without the cult…of…personality thing。 I like him。 Good dude to work with。 And Basil likes you a lot； Jack。〃
〃Why？〃 Ryan asked。 〃I haven't done much of anything。〃
〃Bas has an eye for talent。 He thinks you have the right stuff。 He flat loved that thing you dreamed up last year to catch security leaks…the Canary Trap…and rescuing their next king didn't exactly hurt； y'know？ You're going to be a popular boy down at Century House。 If you live up to your billing； you might just have a future in the spook business。〃
〃Great。〃 Ryan still wasn't entirely sure that was what he wanted to do； though。 〃Dan； I'm a stockbroker who turned into a history teacher； remember？〃
〃Jack； that's behind you now。 Look forward； will ya？ You were pretty good picking stocks at Merrill Lynch； right？〃
〃I made a few bucks；〃 Ryan admitted。 Actually； it was a lot of bucks； and his portfolio was still growing。 People were getting fat on The Street back home。
〃So； apply your brains to something really important；〃 Dan suggested。 〃I hate to tell you； Jack； but there aren't that many smart people in the intelligence munity。 I know。 I work there。 A lot of drones； a lot of moderately smart people； but damned few stars； pal。 You have the stuff to be a star。 Jim Greer thinks so。 So does Basil。 You think outside the box。 I do； too。 That's why I'm not chasing bank robbers in Riverside； Philadelphia； anymore。 But I never made any million bucks playing the market。〃
〃Getting lucky doesn't make you a great guy； Dan。 Hell； Cathy's dad； Joe； has made a lot more 'n I ever will； and he's an opinionated； overbearing son of a bitch。〃
〃Well； you made his daughter the wife of an honorary knight； didn't you？〃
Jack smiled sheepishly。 〃Yeah； I suppose I did。〃
〃That'll open a lot of doors over here； Jack。 The Brits do like their titles。〃 He paused。 〃Now…how about I drag you guys out for a pint？ There's a nice pub up the hill； The Gypsy Moth。 This moving stuff'll drive you crazy。 It's almost as bad as building a house。〃
His office was in the first basement level of The Centre； a security measur