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〃I'd feel better if Jack Cammer was working on him； but they have to have some good ones。 Every big city does。 The University of Padua is about the oldest medical school in the world。 Their ophthalmologists are about as good as we are at Hopkins。 For general surgery； they must have some good people； but the guy I know best for this is Jack。〃 John Michael Cammer was Chairman of Hopkins' Department of Surgery； holder of the prestigious Halstead Chair； and one hell of a good man with a knife。 Cathy knew him well。 Jack had met him once or twice at fund…raisers and been impressed by his demeanor； but wasn't a physician and couldn't evaluate the man's professional abilities。 〃It's fairly straightforward to treat a gunshot wound； mostly。 Unless the liver or spleen is hit。 The real problem is bleeding。 Jack； it's like when Sally got hurt in the car with me。 If you get him there fast； and if the surgeon knows his stuff； you have a good chance of surviving…unless the spleen's ruptured or the liver is badly lacerated。 I saw the TV coverage。 His heart wasn't hit…wrong angle。 I'd say better than even money he'll recover。 He's not a young man； and that won't help； but a really good surgical team can do miracles if they get to him fast enough。〃 She didn't talk about the nasty variables of trauma surgery。 Bullets could ricochet off ribs and go in the most unpredictable directions。 They could fragment and do damage in widely separated places。 Fundamentally； you couldn't diagnose； much less treat； a bullet wound from five seconds of TV tape。 So the odds on the Pope's survival were better than even money； but a lot of 5…1 horses had beaten the chalk horse and won the Kentucky Derby。
〃Thanks； babe。 I'll probably be able to tell you more when I get home。 Hug the kids for me； okay？〃
〃You sound tired；〃 she said。
〃I am tired； babe。 It's been a busy couple of days。〃 And it wasn't going to get any quieter。 〃Bye for now。〃
〃I love you； Jack；〃 she reminded him。
〃I love you； too； babe。 Thanks for saying that。〃
Ryan waited more than an hour for the Zaitzev family。 So the offer of a helicopter would have just enabled him to wait here longer…fairly typical of the U。S。 military。 Ryan sat on a fortable couch and drifted off to sleep for perhaps half an hour。
The Rabbits arrived by car。 A USAF sergeant shook Jack awake and pointed him to the waiting KC…135。 It was essentially a windowless Boeing 707； also equipped to refuel other aircraft。 The lack of windows didn't help his attitude very much； but orders were orders； and he climbed up the steps and found a plush leather seat just forward of the wing box。 The aircraft had hardly lifted off the ground when Oleg fell into the seat beside his own。
〃What happened？〃 Zaitzev demanded。
〃We caught Strokov。 I got him myself； and he had a gun in his hand；〃 Ryan reported。 〃But there was another shooter。〃
〃Strokov？ You arrested him？〃
〃Not exactly an arrest； but he decided to e with me to the British Embassy。 SIS has him now。〃
〃I hope they kill the zvoloch；〃 Zaitzev snarled。
Ryan didn't reply； wondering if that might actually happen。 Did the Brits play that rough？ He had mitted rather a nasty murder on their soil…hell； within sight of Century House。
〃The Pope； will he live？〃 the Rabbit asked。 Ryan was surprised to see his degree of interest。 Maybe the guy was a real conscience defector after all。
〃I don't know； Oleg。 I called my wife…she's a surgeon。 She says that it's better than a fifty…fifty chance that he will survive。〃
〃That is something；〃 Zaitzev thought out loud。
〃Well？〃 Andropov asked。
Colonel Rozhdestvenskiy stood a little more erect。 〃rade Chairman； we know little at this point。 Strokov's man took the shot； as you know； and he hit his target in a deadly area。 Strokov was unable to eliminate him as planned； for reasons unknown。 Our Rome rezidentura is working carefully to discover what happened。 Colonel Goderenko is taking personal charge。 We will know more when Colonel Strokov flies back to Sofia。 He is scheduled to be on the regular flight at nineteen hours。 So； to this point it appears we have had a partial success。〃
〃There is no such thing as a partial success； Colonel！〃 Andropov pointed out heatedly。
〃rade Chairman； I told you weeks ago that this was a possibility。 You will recall that。 And even if this priest survives； he will not be going back to Poland anytime soon； will he？〃
〃I suppose not；〃 Yuriy Vladimirovich grumbled。
〃And that was the real mission； wasn't it？〃
〃Da；〃 the Chairman admitted。
〃No signals as yet？〃
〃No； rade Chairman。 We've had to break in a new watch officer in munications； and…〃
〃What is that？〃
〃Major Zaitzev； Oleg Ivanovich； he and his family died in a hotel fire in Budapest。 He had been our municator for mission six…six…six。〃
〃Why was I not informed of this？〃
〃rade Chairman；〃 Rozhdestvenskiy soothed； 〃it was fully investigated。 The bodies have been returned to Moscow and were duly buried。 They all died of smoke inhalation。 The autopsy procedures were viewed in person by a Soviet physician。〃
〃You are sure of this； Colonel？〃
〃I can get the official report to you if you wish；〃 Rozhdestvenskiy said with confidence。 〃I have read it myself。〃
Andropov shook it off。 〃Very well。 Keep me informed on whatever es in。 And I want to be notified at once of the condition of this troublesome Pole。〃
〃By your order； rade Chairman。〃 Rozhdestvenskiy made his way out while the Chairman went back to other business。 Brezhnev's health had taken a definite downturn。 Very soon Andropov would have to step away from KGB in order to protect his ascension to the head seat at the table； and that was the main item on his plate at the moment。 And； besides； Rozhdestvenskiy was right。 This Polish priest would not be a problem for months； even if he survived； and that was sufficient to the moment。
〃Well； Arthur？〃 Ritter asked。
〃He's calmed down a little bit。 I told him about Operation BEATRIX。 I told him that we and the Brits had people right there。 He wants to meet the Rabbit we just got out； personally。 So； he's still pretty pissed； but at least it's not at us；〃 Moore reported on his arrival back from the White House。
〃The Brits have this Strokov guy in custody；〃 Greer let the DCI know。 Word had just e in from London。 〃Would you believe Ryan's the guy who put the bag on him？ The Brits have him now at their Rome embassy。 Basil's trying to decide what to do with him。 Best bet； Strokov ran the operation and enlisted this Turkish thug to do the shooting。 The Brits say they caught him with a silenced pistol in his hand。 The thinking is that his job was to take the shooter out； like that Mafia hit in New York a while back； to put big…league deniability on the assassination attempt。〃
〃Your boy captured him？〃 the DCI asked in some surprise。
〃He was there with a team of experienced British field spooks； and maybe his Marine training helped；〃 Ritter allowed。 〃So； James； your fair…haired boy gets another attaboy。〃
Don't bite your tongue off when you sign the Letter of mendation； Robert； Greer managed not to say。 〃Where are they all now？〃
〃Halfway home； probably。 The Air Force is flying them over；〃 Ritter told them。 〃ETA at Andrews is about eleven…forty； they told me。〃
There were windows in the front office； Ryan found out； and the flight crew was friendly enough。 He was even able to talk a little about baseball。 The Orioles had just one more game to win to finish the Phillies off； he was pleased and surprised to learn。 The flight crew didn't even hint at asking why they were driving him back to America。 They'd done it too many times and； besides； they never got good answers anyway。 Aft； the Rabbit Family was sound asleep； a feat Ryan had not yet managed to acplish。
〃How long？〃 he asked the pilot。
〃Well； that's Labrador there。〃 He pointed。 〃Call it three hours more； and we'll be feet…dry almost all the way。 Why don't you get some sleep； sir？〃
〃I don't sleep in the air；〃 Jack admitted。
〃Don't feel too bad； sir。 Neither do we；〃 the copilot told him。 And that was good news； on reflection； Jack thought。
Sir Basil Charleston was having his own meeting with his Chi