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〃Yeah。〃
Chapter 12 Homeing
Ryan left home well before seven。 First he drove to U。S。 Route 50 and headed west toward D。C。 The road was crowded； as usual； with the early morning muters heading to the federal agencies that had transformed the District of Columbia from a picturesque plot of real estate into a pseudo…city of transients。 He got off onto I…495； the beltway that surrounds the town； heading north through even thicker traffic whose more congested spots were reported on by a radio station's helicopter。 It was nice to know why the traffic was moving at fifteen miles per hour on a road designed for seventy。
He wondered if Cathy was doing what she was supposed to do。 The problem was that there weren't that many roads for her to use to get to Baltimore。 The nursery school that Sally attended was on Ritchie Highway； and that precluded use of the only direct alternate route。 On the other hand； Ritchie Highway was always a crowded and fast…moving road； and intercepting her wouldn't be easy there。 In Baltimore itself； she had a wide choice of routes into Hopkins； and she promised to switch them around。 Ryan looked out at the traffic in front of him and swore a silent curse。 Despite what he'd told Cathy； he didn't worry overly much about his family。 He was the one who'd gotten in the way of the terrorists； and if their motivation was really personal； then he was the only target。 Maybe。 Finally he crossed the Potomac River and got on the George Washington Parkway。 Fifteen minutes later he took the CIA exit。
He stopped his Rabbit at the guard post。 A uniformed security officer came out and asked his name； though he'd already checked Ryan's license plate against a puter…generated list on his clipboard。 Ryan handed his driver's license to the guard； who scrupulously checked the photograph against Jack's face before giving him a pass。
〃Sir； the visitors' parking lot is to the left； then the second right 〃
〃Thanks； I've been here before。〃
〃Very well； sir。〃 The guard waved him on。
The trees were bare。 CIA headquarters was built behind the first rank of hills overlooking the Potomac Valley； in what had once been a lush forest。 Most of the trees remained； to keep people from seeing the building。 Jack took the first left and drove uphill on a curving road。 The visitor parking lot was also attended by a guard this one was a woman who waved him to an open slot and made another check of Ryan before directing him toward the canopied main entrance。 To his right was 〃the Bubble；〃 an igloo…shaped theater that was connected to the building by a tunnel。 He'd once delivered a talk there； a paper on naval strategy。 Before him； the CIA building was a seven…story structure of white stone； or maybe prestressed concrete。 He'd never checked that closely。 As soon as he got inside； the ambience of spook…central hit him like a club。 He saw eight security officers； all in civilian clothes now； their jackets unbuttoned to suggest the presence of sidearms。 What they really carried was radios； but Jack was sure that men with guns were only a few feet away。 The walls had cameras that fed into some central monitoring room Ryan didn't know where that was； in fact； the only parts of the building he actually knew were the path to his erstwhile cubbyhole of an office； from there to the men's room； and the route to the cafeteria。 He'd been to the top floor several times； but each time he'd been escorted since his security pass didn't clear him for that level。
〃Doctor Ryan。〃 A man approached。 He looked vaguely familiar； but Jack couldn't put a name on the face。 〃I'm Marty Cantor I work upstairs。〃
The name came back as they shook hands。 Cantor was Admiral Greer's executive assistant； a preppy type from Yale。 He gave Jack a security pass。
〃I don't have to go through the visitor room？〃 Jack waved to his left。
〃All taken care of。 You can follow me。〃
Cantor led him to the first security checkpoint。 He took the pass from the chain around his neck and slid it into a slot。 A small gate with orange and yellow stripes； like those used for parking garages； snapped up； then down again as Ryan stuck his card in the slot。 A puter in a basement room checked the electronic code on the pass and decided that it could safely admit Ryan to the building。 The gate went back up。 Already Jack was unfortable here。 Just like before； he thought； like being in a prison no； security in a prison is nothing pared to this。 There was something about this place that made Jack instantly paranoid。
Jack slung the pass around his neck。 He gave it a quick look。 It had a color photograph； taken the previous year； and a number； but no name。 None of the CIA passes had names on them。 Cantor led off at a brisk walk to the right； then left toward the elevators。 Ryan noticed the kiosk where you could buy a Coke and a Snickers bar。 It was staffed by blind workers； yet another of the oddly sinister things about the CIA。 Blind people were less likely to be security risks； he supposed； though he wondered how they drove in to work every day。 The building was surprisingly shabby； the floor tile never quite shiny； the walls a drab shade of yellow…beige； even the murals were second…rate。 It surprised a lot of people that the Agency spent little on the outward trappings of importance。 The previous summer Jack had learned that the people here took a perverse pride in the place's seediness。
Everywhere people walked about with anonymous haste。 They walked so fast in the building that most corners had hubcap…shaped mirrors to warn you of possible collision with a fellow spook 。 。 。 or to alert you that someone might be lurking and listening around the corner。
Why did you e here？
Jack shook the thought off as he entered the elevator。 Cantor pushed the button for the seventh floor。 The door opened a minute later to expose yet another drab corridor。 Ryan vaguely remembered the way now。 Cantor turned left； then right； as Ryan watched people walking about with a speed that would impress a recruiter for the Olympic Team's heel…and…toe crew。 He had to smile at it until he realized that none of them were smiling。 A serious place； the Central Intelligence Agency。
The executive row of CIA had its own private corridor this one had a rug that paralleled the main one and led to offices facing the east。 As always； there were people just standing about and watching。 They inspected Ryan and his pass； but showed no reaction； which was good enough news for Jack。 Cantor took his charge to the proper door and opened it。
Admiral James Greer was in civilian clothes； as usual； leaning back in a high…backed swivel chair； reading an inevitable folder and sipping at inevitable coffee。 Ryan had never seen him otherwise。 He was in his middle sixties； a tall； patrician…looking man whose voice could be as courtly or harsh as he wished。 His accent was that of Maine； and for all his sophistication； Ryan knew him to be a farmer's son who'd earned his way into the Naval Academy； then spent forty years in uniform； first as a submarine officer； then as a full…time intelligence specialist。 Greer was one of the brightest people Ryan had ever met。 And one of the trickiest。 Jack was convinced that this gray…haired old gentleman could read minds。 Surely that was part of the job description for the Deputy Director； Intelligence； of the Central Intelligence Agency。 All the data gathered by spies and satellites； and God only knew what else； came across his desk。 If Greer didn't know it； it wasn't worth knowing。 He looked up after a moment。
〃Hello； Doctor Ryan。〃 The Admiral rose and came over。 〃I see you're right on time。〃
〃Yes； sir。 I remembered what a pain the mute was last summer。〃 Without being asked； Marty Cantor got everyone coffee as they sat on chairs around a low table。 One nice thing about Greer was that he always had good coffee。 Jack remembered。
〃How's the arm； son？〃 the Admiral asked。
〃Almost normal； sir。 I can tell you when it's going to rain； though。 They say that may go away eventually； but it's like arthritis。〃
〃And how's your family？〃
The man doesn't miss a trick。 Jack thought。 But Jack had one of his own。 〃A little tense at the moment； sir。 I broke the news to Cathy last night。 She's not real happy about it； but then neither am I。〃 Let's get down to business； Admiral。
〃So what exactly can we do for you？〃 Greer's demeanor changed from pleasant old gentleman to professional intelligence officer。
〃Sir； I know this is asking a lot； but I'd like to see what the Agency has on these ULA characters。〃
〃Not a hell of a lot。〃 Cantor snorted。 〃These boys cover their tracks like real pros。 They're being bankrolled in a pretty big way that's inferred； of course； but it has to be true。〃
〃Where does your data e from？〃
Cantor looked over to Greer and got a nod。 〃Doctor； before we go any further； we have to talk about classification。〃
Resignedly： 〃Yeah。 What do I have to sign？〃
〃We'll take care of that before you leave。 We'll show you just about everything we've got。 What you have to know now is that this stuff is classified SI…codeword。〃
〃Well； that's no surprise。〃 Ryan sighed。 Special…Intelligence…C