o the chance that an attack is a serious possibility； and that one of the good guys might be a bad guy。〃
〃Correct。〃
〃This isn't going to make our folks real happy。〃
〃I'm not terribly keen on it myself； Dan；〃 Owens replied。
〃Well； it gives Bill Shaw something else to think about。〃 Another thought struck him。 〃Jimmy； that's one expensive piece of live bait you have dangling on the hook。〃
〃He knows that。 It's our job to keep the sharks away； isn't it？〃
Murray shook his head。 The ideal solution would be to find a way to cancel the trip； thereby handing the problem back to Owens and Ashley。 That meant involving the State Department。 The boys at Foggy Bottom would spike that idea； Murray knew。 You couldn't un…invite a future chief of state because the FBI and Secret Service didn't think they could guarantee his safety the reputation of American law…enforcement would be laid open to ridicule； they'd say； knowing that his protection wasn't the responsibility of the people at State。
〃What do you have on Watkins？〃 he asked after a moment。 Owens outlined his 〃evidence。〃
〃That's all？〃
〃We're still digging； but so far there is nothing more substantive。 It could all be coincidence； of course 。 。 。 〃
〃No； it sounds to me like you're right。〃 Murray didn't believe in coincidences either。 〃But there's nothing that I could take to a grand jury at home。 Have you thought about flushing the game？〃
〃You mean running through a change in the schedule？ Yes； we have。 But then what？ We could do that； see if Watkins goes to the shop； and arrest both men there if we can confirm that what is happening is what we think it to be。 Unfortunately； that means throwing away the only link we've ever had with the ULA； Dan。 At the moment； we're watching Cooley as closely as we dare。 He is still traveling。 If we can find out whom he is contacting； then perhaps we can wrap up the entire operation。 What you suggest is an option； but not the best one。 We do have time； you know。 We have several months before we need to do something so drastic as that。〃
Murray nodded； not so much in agreement as in understanding。 The possibility of finding and destroying O'Donnell's bunch had to be tantalizing to Scotland Yard。 Bagging Cooley now would quash that。 It wasn't something that they'd simply toss off。 He knew that the Bureau would think much the same way。
〃Jack； I want you to e along with me；〃 Marty Cantor said。 〃No questions。〃
〃What？〃 Ryan asked； and got an accusing look。 〃All right； all right。〃 He took the files he was working on and locked them in his file cabinet； then grabbed his jacket。 Cantor led him around the corner to the elevator。 After arriving on the first floor； he walked rapidly west into the annex behind the headquarters building。 Once in the new structure； they passed through five security checkpoints。 This was an all…time record for Ryan； and he wondered if Cantor had had to reprogram the pass…control puter to get him into this building。 After ten minutes he was on the fourth floor in a room identified only by its number。
〃Jack； this is Jean…Claude。 He's one of our French colleagues。〃
Ryan shook hands with a man twenty years older than himself； whose face was the embodiment of civilized irony。 〃What gives； Marty？〃
〃Professor Ryan；〃 Jean…Claude said。 〃I am informed that you are the man we must thank。〃
〃What for 〃 Ryan stopped。 Uh…oh。 The Frenchman led him to a TV monitor。
〃Jack； you never saw this；〃 Cantor said as a picture formed on the screen。 It had to be satellite photography。 Ryan knew it at once from the viewing angle； which changed very slowly。
〃When？〃 he asked。
〃Last night； our time； about three A。M。 local。〃
〃Correct。〃 Jean…Claude nodded； his eyes locked on the screen。
It was Camp …20； Ryan thought。 The one that belonged to Action…Directe。 The spacing of the huts was familiar。 The infrared picture showed that three of the huts had their heaters on。 The brightness of the heat signals told him that ground temperature must have been about freezing。 South of the camp； behind a dune； two vehicles were parked。 Jack couldn't tell if they were jeeps or small trucks。 On closer inspection； faint figures were moving on the cold background： men。 From the way they moved： soldiers。 He counted eight of them split into two equal groups。 Near one of the huts was a brighter light。 There appeared to be a man standing there。 Three in the morning； when one's body functions are at the lowest ebb。 One of the camp guards was smoking on duty； doubtlessly trying to stay awake。 That was a mistake； Ryan knew。 The flare of the match would have destroyed his night vision。 Oh； well 。 。 。
〃Now；〃 Jean…Claude said。
There was a brief flash from one of the eight intruders； it was strange to see but not hear it。 Ryan couldn't tell if the guard moved as a result； but his cigarette did； flying perhaps two yards； after which both images remained stationary。 That's a kill； he told himself。 Dear God； what am I watching？ The eight pale shapes closed on the camp。 First they entered the guard hut it was always the same one。 A moment later they were back outside。 Next； they redeployed into the two groups of four； each group heading toward one of the 〃lighted〃 huts。
〃Who are the troops？〃 Jack asked。
〃Paras；〃 Jean…Claude answered simply。
Some of the men reappeared thirty seconds later。 After another minute； the rest emerged more than had gone in； Ryan saw。 Two seemed to be carrying something。 Then something else entered the picture。 It was a bright glow that washed out other parts of the picture； but the new addition was a helicopter； its engines blazing in the infrared picture。 The picture quality deteriorated and the camera zoomed back。 Two more helicopters were in the area。 One landed near the vehicles； and the jeeps were driven into it。 After that helicopter lifted off； the other skimmed the ground； following the vehicle tracks for several miles and erasing them with its downdraft。 By the time the satellite lost visual lock with the scene； everyone was gone。 The entire exercise had taken less than ten minutes。
〃Quick and clean；〃 Marty breathed。
〃You got her？〃 Jack had to ask。
〃Yes；〃 Jean…Claude replied。 〃And five others； four of them alive。 We removed all of them； and the camp guards who； I regret to say； did not survive the evening。〃 The Frenchman's regrets were tossed in for good manners only。 His face showed what he really felt。
〃Any of your people hurt？〃 Cantor asked。
An amused shake of his head： 〃No。 They were all asleep； you see。 One slept with a pistol next to his cot； and made the mistake of reaching for it。〃
〃You pulled everybody out； even the camp guards？〃
〃Of course。 All are now in Chad。 The living are being questioned。〃
〃How did you arrange the satellite coverage？〃 Jack asked。
This answer came with a Gallic shrug。 〃A fortunate coincidence。〃
Right； Jack thought。 Some coincidence。 I just watched the instant…replay of the death of three or four people。 Terrorists； he corrected himself。 Except for the camp guards； who only helped terrorists。 The tilling could not have been an accident。 The French wanted us to know that they were in counterterrorist operations for…real。
〃Why am I here？〃
〃But you made this possible；〃 Jean…Claude said。 〃It is my pleasure to give you the thanks of my country。〃
〃What's going to happen to the people you captured？〃 Jack wanted to know。
〃Do you know how many people they have assassinated？ For those crimes they will answer。 Justice； that will happen to them。〃
〃You wanted to see a success； Jack；〃 Cantor said。 〃You just did。〃
Ryan thought that one over。 Removing the bodies of the camp guards told him how the operation would end。 No one was supposed to know what had happened。 Sure； some bullet holes were left behind； and a couple of bloodstains； but no bodies。 The raiders had quite literally covered their tracks。 The whole operation was 〃deniable。〃 There was nothing left behind that would point to the French。 In that sense it had been a perfect covert operation。 And if that much effort had gone into making it so； then there was little rea