"Clancy, Tom - Op-Center 05 - Ballance of Power" - читать интересную книгу автора (Clancy Tom)

of them cast disapproving glances at the young woman's
hands.
Martha remained silent as the brakes ground
noisily. The large red bus stopped on Calle
Femanflor and the two women got off quickly.
Dressed as tourists in jeans and windbreakers, and
carrying backpacks and cameras, they stood on the
curb of the crowded avenue. Behind them, the bus snarled
away. Dark faces bobbed in the windows, looking
down at the women.
Martha regarded her assistant. Despite the
reprimand, Aideen's gray eyes still had a glint
of steel beneath her lightly freckled lids.
"Look," Martha said, "you're new in this arena. I
brought you along because you're a helluva linguist and
you're smart. You have a lot of potential in
foreign affairs."
"I'm not exactly new at it," Aideen replied
defensively.
6 OP-CENTER
"No, but you're new on the European stage and
to my way of doing things," Martha replied. "You like
frontal assaults, which is probably why
General Rodgers hired you away from Ambassador
Carnegie. Our Deputy Director believes
in attacking problems head on. But I warned you about
that when you came to work for me. I told you to turn
down the heat. What worked in Mexico is not
necessarily going to work here. I told you when you
accepted the position that if you work for me you have to do
things my way. And I prefer end runs. Skirt
the main force. Finesse the enemy rather than launch an
assault. Especially when the stakes are as high as
they are here."
"I understand," Aideen said. "Like I said, I may
be new at this type of situation. But I'm not
green. When I know the rules I can play by them."
Martha relaxed slightly. "Okay. I'll buy
that." She watched as Aideen tossed the tattered
towelette into a trash can. "Are you okay? Do you
want to find a restroom?"'"
"Do I need one?"
Martha sniffed the air. "I don't think so." She
scowled. "You know, I still can't believe you did what
you did."
"I know you can't and I'm truly sorry," Aideen
said. "What else can I possibly say?"
"Nothing," Martha said. She shook her head
slowly. "Not a thing. I've seen street fighters
in my day, but I have to admit I've never seen that."