Patriot games - Tom Clancy [58]
"I'm sure that's what they said at My Lai."
"That wasn't the Marines, Mr. Atkinson," Ryan shot back.
The lawyer smiled up at Jack. "I suppose your chaps were better trained at keeping quiet. Indeed, perhaps you yourself have been trained in such things "
"No, sir, I have not." He's making you angry, Jack. He took his handkerchief out and blew his nose again. The two deep breaths helped. "Excuse me. I'm afraid the local weather has given me a "bit of a head cold. What you just said-if the Marines trained people in that sort of stuff, the newspapers would have plastered it on their front pages years ago. No, moral issues aside for the moment, the Corps has a much better sense of public relations than that, Mr. Atkinson."
"Indeed." The barrister shrugged. "And what about the Central Intelligence Agency?"
"Excuse me?"
"What of the press reports that you've worked for the CIA?"
"Sir, the only times I've been paid by the U.S. government," Jack said, choosing his words very carefully, "the money came from the Navy Department, first as a Marine, then later-now, that is, as an instructor at the United States Naval Academy. I have never been employed by any other government agency, period."
"So you are not an agent of the CIA? I remind you that you are under oath."
"No, sir. I am not now, and I never have been any kind of agent-unless you count being a stockbroker. I don't work for the CIA."
"And these news reports?"
"I'm afraid that you'll have to ask the reporters. I don't know where that stuff comes from. I teach history. My office is in Leahy Hall on the Naval Academy grounds. That's kind of a long way from Langley."
" Langley? You know where CIA is, then?"
"Yes, sir. It's on record that I have delivered a lecture there. It was the same lecture I delivered the month before at the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island. My paper dealt with the nature of tactical decision-making. I have never worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, but I did, once, give a lecture there. Maybe that's where all these reports started."
"I think you're lying, Sir John," Atkinson observed.
Not quite, Charlie. "I can't help what you think, sir, I can only answer your questions truthfully."
"And you never wrote an official report for the government entitled Agents and Agencies?"
Ryan did not allow himself to react. Where did you get that bit of data, Charlie? He answered the question with great care.
"Sir, last year-that is, last summer, at the end of the last school year-I was asked to be a contract consultant to a private company that does government work. The company is the Mitre Corporation, and I was hired on a temporary basis as part of one of their consulting contracts with the U.S. government. The work involved was classified, but it obviously had nothing at all to do with this case."
"Obviously? Why don't you let the jury decide that?"
"Mr. Atkinson," Justice Wheeler said tiredly, "are you suggesting that this work in which the witness was involved has a direct connection with the case before the court?"
"I think we might wish to establish that, My Lord. It is my belief that the witness is misleading the court."
"Very well." The judge turned. "Doctor Ryan, did this work in which you were engaged have anything whatever to do with a case of murder in the city of London, or with any of the persons involved in this case?"
"No, sir."
"You are quite certain?"
"Yes, sir."
"Are you now or have you ever been an employee of any intelligence or security agency of the American government?"
"Except for the Marine Corps, no, sir."
"I remind you of your oath to tell the truth-the whole, complete truth. Have you misled the court in any way, Doctor Ryan?"
"No, sir, absolutely not."
"Thank you, Doctor Ryan. I believe that question is now settled." Mr. Justice Wheeler turned back to his right. "Next question, Mr. Atkinson."
The barrister had to be angry at that, Ryan thought, but he didn't let it show. He wondered if someone had briefed the judge.
"You say that you