"Higgins, Jack - Savage Day" - читать интересную книгу автора (Higgins Jack)

'Good God, boy, do you think I was born yesterday? I

know what happened out there. What really happened. You were told to clear the kst terrorist out of Kota Baru and you did just that. A little ruthlessly perhaps, but you did it. Your superiors heaved a sigh of relief, then threw you to the wolves.'

'Leaving me with the satisfaction of knowing that I did my duty.'

He smiled. 'I can see we're going to get along just fine. Did I tell you I knew your father ?'

Tm sure you did,' I said. 'But just now I'd much rather know what in the hell you're after, Brigadier.'

'I want you to come and work for me. In exchange, I'll get you out of here. The skte wiped clean.'

'Just like that?'

'Quite reasonable people to deal with, the Greeks, if one knows how.'

'And what would I have to do in return ?'

'Oh, that's simple,' he said. I'd like you to take on the IRA in Northern Ireland for us.'

Which was the kind of remark calculated to take the wind out of anyone's sails and I stared at him incredulously.

'You've got to be joking.'

'I can't think of anyone better qualified. Look at it this way. You spent years in Intelligence working against urban guerrillas, Marxists, anarchists, revolutionaries of every sort, the whole bagshoot. You know how their minds work. You're perfectly at home fighting the kind of war where the battlefield is back alleys and rooftops. You're tough, resourceful and quite ruthless, which you'll need to be if you're to survive five minutes with this lot, believe me.'

'Nothing like making it sound attractive.'

'And then, you do have one or two special qualifications,

you must admit that. You speak Irish, I understand, thanks to your mother, which is more than most Irishmen do. And then there was that uncle of yours. The one who commanded a flying column for the IRA in the old days.'

'Michael Fitzgerald,' I said. 'The Schoolmaster of Stradballa.'

He raised his eyebrows at that one. 'My God, but they do like their legends, don't they ? On the other hand, the fact that you're a half-and-half must surely be some advantage.'

'You mean it might help me to understand what goes on in those rather simple peasant minds ?'

He wasn't in the least put out. 'I must say I'm damned if I can sometimes.'

'Which is exactly why they've been trying to kick us out for the past seven hundred years.'

He raised his eyebrows at that and there was a touch of frost in his voice. 'An interesting remark, Vaughan. One which certainly makes me wonder exactly where you stand on this question.'

'I don't take sides,' I said. 'Not any more. Just tell me what you expect. If I can justify it to myself, I'll take it on.'

'And if you can't, you'll sit here for another fifteen years ?' He shook his head. 'Oh, I doubt that, Major. I doubt that very much indeed.'

And there was the rub, for I did myself. I took another of his cigarettes and said wearily, 'All right, Brigadier, what's it all about?'