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First things first。 Ryan tried to wiggle his fingers。 It took several seconds before they acknowledged their subservience to his central nervous system。 Ryan let out a long breath and closed his eyes to thank God for that。 About where his elbow was； a metal rod angled downward to join the rest of the cast； which； he finally appreciated； began at his neck and went diagonally to his waist。 It left his arm sticking out entirely on its own and made Ryan look like half a bridge。 The cast was not tight on his chest； but touched almost everywhere； and already he had itches where he couldn't scratch。 The surgeon had said something about immobilizing the shoulder； and； Ryan thought glumly； he hadn't been kidding。 His shoulder ached in a distant sort of way with the promise of more to e。 His mouth tasted like a urinal； and the rest of his body was stiff and sore。 He turned his head the other way。
〃Somebody over there？〃 he asked softly。
〃Oh； hello。〃 A face appeared at the edge of the bed。 Younger than Ryan； mid…twenties or so； and lean。 He was dressed casually； his tie loose in his collar； and the edge of a shoulder holster showed under his jacket。 〃How are you feeling； sir？〃
Ryan attempted a smile； wondering how successful it was。 〃About how I look； probably。 Where am I； who are you first； is there a glass of water in this place？〃
The policeman poured ice water from a plastic jug into a plastic cup。 Ryan reached out with his right hand before he noticed that it wasn't tied down as it had been the last time he awoke。 He could now feel the place where the IV catheter had been。 Jack greedily sucked the water from the straw。 It was only water； but no beer ever tasted better after a day's yardwork。 〃Thanks； pal。〃
〃My name is Anthony Wilson。 I'm supposed to look after you。 You are in the VIP suite of St。 Thomas's Hospital。 Do you remember why you're here； sir？〃
〃Yeah； I think so；〃 Ryan nodded。 〃Can you unhook me from this thing？ I have to go。〃 The other reminder of the IV。
〃I'll ring the sister here。〃 Wilson squeezed the button that was pinned to the edge of Ryan's pillow。
Less than fifteen seconds later a nurse came through the door and flipped on the overhead lights。 The blaze of light dazzled Jack for a moment before he saw it was a different nurse。 Not Bette Davis； this one was young and pretty； with the eager； protective look mon to nurses。 Ryan had seen it before； and hated it。
〃Ah； we're awake；〃 she observed brightly。 〃How are we feeling？〃
〃Great；〃 Ryan grumped。 〃Can you unhook me？ I have to go to the john。〃
〃We're not supposed to move just yet。 Doctor Ryan。 Let me fetch you something。〃 She disappeared out the door before he could object。 Wilson watched her leave with an appraising look。 Cops and nurses； Ryan thought。 His dad had married a nurse； he'd met her after bringing a gunshot victim into the emergency room。
The nurse her name tag said KITTIWAKE returned in under a minute bearing a stainless steel urinal as though it were a priceless gift； which under the circumstances； it was； Ryan admitted to himself。 She lifted the covers on the bed and suddenly Jack realized that his hospital gown was not really on； but just tied loosely around his neck worse； the nurse was about to make the necessary adjustments for him to use the urinal。 Ryan's right hand shot downward under the covers to take it away from her。 He thanked God for the second time this morning that he was able； barely； to reach down far enough。
〃Could you； uh； excuse me for a minute？〃 Ryan willed the girl out of the room； and she went； smiling her disappointment。 He waited for the door to close pletely before continuing。 In deference to Wilson he stifled his sigh of relief。 Kittiwake was back through the door after counting to sixty。
〃Thank you。〃 Ryan handed her the receptacle and she disappeared out the door。 It had barely swung shut when she was back again。 This time she stuck a thermometer in his mouth and grabbed his wrist to take his pulse。 The thermometer was one of the new electronic sort； and both tasks were pleted in fifteen seconds。 Ryan asked for the score； but got a smile instead of an answer。 The smile remained fixed as she made the entries on his chart。 When this task was fulfilled； she made a minor adjustment in the covers； beaming at Ryan。 Little Miss Efficiency； Ryan told himself。 This girl is going to be a real pain in the ass。
〃Is there anything I might get you； Doctor Ryan？〃 she asked。 Her brown eyes belied the wheat…colored hair。 She was cute。 She had that dewy look。 Ryan was unable to remain angry with pretty women； and hated them for it。 Especially young nurses with that dewy look。
〃Coffee？〃 he asked hopefully。
〃Breakfast is not for another hour。 Can I fetch you a cup of tea？〃
〃Fine。〃 It wasn't； but it would get rid of her for a little while。 Nurse Kittiwake breezed out the door with her ingenuous smile。
〃Hospitals？〃 Ryan snarled when she was gone。
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 Wilson； observed； the image of Nurse Kittiwake fresh in his mind。
〃You ain't the one getting your diapers changed。〃 Ryan grunted and leaned back into the pillow。 It was useless to fight it； he knew。 He smiled in spite of himself。 Useless to fight it。 He'd been through this twice before； both times with young； pretty nurses。 Being grumpy only made them all the more eager to be overpoweringly nice they had time on their side； time and patience enough to wear anyone down。 He sighed out his surrender。 It wasn't worth the waste of energy。 〃So； you're a cop； right？ Special Branch？〃
〃No； sir。 I'm with C…13； Anti…Terrorist Branch。〃
〃Can you fill me in on what happened yesterday？ I kinda missed a few things。〃
〃How much do you remember。 Doctor？〃 Wilson slid his chair closer。 Ryan noted that he remained halfway facing the door； and kept his right hand free。 〃I saw well； I heard an explosion； a hand grenade； I think and when I turned I saw two guys shooting the hell out of a Rolls…Royce。 IRA； I guess。 I took two of them out； and another one got away in a car。 The cavalry arrived； and I passed out and woke up here。〃
〃Not IRA。 ULA Ulster Liberation Army； a Maoist offshoot of the Provos。 Nasty buggers。 The one you killed was John Michael McCrory； a very bad boy from Londonderry one of the chaps who escaped from the Maze last July。 This is the first time he's surfaced since。 And the last〃 Wilson smiled coldly 〃we haven't identified the other chap yet。 That is； not as of when I came on duty three hours ago。〃
〃ULA？〃 Ryan shrugged。 He remembered hearing the name； though he couldn't talk about that。 〃The guy I killed。 He had an AK； but when I came around the car he was using a pistol。 How e？〃
〃The fool jammed it。 He had two full magazines taped end to end； like you see all the time in the movies； but like they trained us specifically not to do in the paras。 We reckon he bashed it； probably when he came out of the car。 The second magazine was bent at the top end wouldn't feed the rounds properly； you see。 Damn good luck for you。 You knew you were going after a chap with a Kalashnikov？〃 Wilson examined Ryan's face closely。
Jack nodded。 〃Doesn't sound real smart； does it？〃
〃You bloody fool。〃 Wilson said this just as Kittiwake came through the door with a tea tray。 The nurse flashed the cop an emphatically disapproving look as she set the tray on the bedstand and wheeled it over。 Kittiwake arranged things just so； and poured Ryan a cup with delicacy。 Wilson had to do his own。
〃So who was in the car； anyway？〃 Ryan asked。 He noted strong reactions。
〃You didn't know？〃 Kittiwake was dumbfounded。
〃There wasn't much time to find out。〃 Ryan dropped two packets of brown sugar into his cup。 His stirring stopped abruptly when Wilson answered his question。
〃The Prince and Princess of Wales。 And their new baby。〃
Ryan's head snapped around。 〃What？〃
〃You really didn't know？〃 the nurse asked。
〃You're serious；〃 Ryan said quietly。 They wouldn't kid about this； would they？
〃Too bloody right。 I'm serious；〃 Wilson went on； his voice very even。 Only his choice of words betrayed how deeply the affair disturbed him。 〃Except for you； they would all three be quite dead； and that makes you a bloody hero。 Doctor Ryan。〃 Wilson sipped his tea neatly and fished out a cigarette。
Ryan set his cup down。 〃You mean you let them drive around here without a police or secret service whatever you call it without an escort？〃
〃Supposedly it was an unscheduled trip。 Security arrangements for the Royals are not my department in any case。 I would speculate； however； that those whose department it is will be rethinking a few things；〃 Wilson mented。
〃They weren't hurt？〃
〃No； but their driver was killed。 So was their security escort from DPG Diplomatic Protection Group Charlie Winston。 I knew Charlie。 He had a wife； you know； and four children； all grown。〃
Ryan observed that the Rolls should have had bulletproof glass。
Wilson grunted。 〃It did have bulletproof glass。 Actually plastic； a plex polycarbonate material。 Unfortunately； no one seems to have read what it said on the box。 The guarantee is only for a year。 Turns out