"Brad Thor - Harvath 02 - Path of the Assassin" - читать интересную книгу автора (Thor Brad)

6
An hour and forty-five minutes later, Harvath was seated in the passenger seat of
ClaudiaтАЩs VW as they headed out of Bern on the short trip to the prison. The
convoy consisted of eight vehicles. Two police motorcycles led the way, followed
by two police cars, the transport van, two more marked police cars, and finally
ClaudiaтАЩs car, bringing up the rear.
Even in a country like Switzerland, where the inhabitants prided themselves on their
obsession with organization, things could go amiss. Bern was constantly plagued
with traffic jams, and today was no exception. Harvath didnтАЩt enjoy being in the last
vehicle of the convoy, and repeatedly asked Claudia to translate the dialogue with the
lead vehicles that was going back and forth over her radio. Claudia assured him it
was nothing more than normal Bernese traffic and that the motorcycle police were
complaining that people werenтАЩt responding quickly enough to their sirens. In all
fairness to the people of Bern, it wasnтАЩt easy to тАЬhop toтАЭ when you heard a police
siren, especially when you were stuck in traffic on a narrow, one-way medieval street
with cars parked on both sides.
тАЬWeтАЩre close now,тАЭ said Claudia, who then spoke rapid-fire Swiss German into her
walkie-talkie before peeling off from the convoy.
тАЬWhat are you doing?тАЭ asked Harvath, who immediately sat up straighter in his seat
as Claudia broke formation.
тАЬThe courthouse is just down a little further. The press has gotten wind that Miner is
appearing today, and they are out in full force. I donтАЩt want anyone to see you going
in the front, so I will take you in another way. You still want to check out the
courtroom, donтАЩt you?тАЭ
тАЬOf course I do, but how did the press get wind of the proceeding being changed to
today?тАЭ
тАЬHow do they find things out in America? People talk.тАЭ
тАЬDoesnтАЩt that bother you?тАЭ
тАЬOf course it does, but thatтАЩs the way the press is. They pay everybody and have
sources everywhere, but what can I do about it? Listen, including the personnel in
that van, Gerhard Miner is being guarded by over twenty-five of some of the
meanest and most heavily armed members of the police and Swiss military. Whether
you have noticed it or not, there has been a military helicopter shadowing us the
entire time Miner has been outside the prisonтАЩs walls.тАЭ
Scot had noticed the helicopter. He was impressed that Claudia had thought so far
ahead, but he was still concerned.
тАЬThere are additional men posted within the courtroom itself, throughout the
building, and even in plain clothes outside among members of the press. Now, Agent
Harvath, how would you rate my security?тАЭ
тАЬSo far IтАЩd have to say youтАЩve been pretty thoroughтАФтАЭ
тАЬIt would take an army to get to Miner.тАЭ
Scot knew she was wrong. It was dangerous to believe that you were fully prepared.
If one person was determined to do harm at any cost, there really was nothing any
organization could do to stop him or her. This was the fear the Secret Service lived
with twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Scot was about to share this with
Claudia when her radio crackled to life with frantic shouts from one of the lead
vehicles.
тАЬWhatтАЩs going on?тАЭ Scot asked.
тАЬSome sort of accident,тАЭ she replied.