Lee Child - Jack Reacher, or Night School. Lee Childjack Reacher or Night School Jack Reacher or Night School
Jack Reacher, or Night School
Copyright © 2016 by Lee Child
© Goldich V., Oganesova I., translation into Russian, 2017
© Edition in Russian, design. LLC Publishing House E, 2017
Dedicated with deep respect to the men and women around the world who truly do this
In the morning, Jack Reacher was given an award, and in the afternoon he was sent back to study. It was the Legion of Honor, his second. Beautiful, on white enamel, with a purple ribbon. In accordance with Army Regulations 600-8-22, it is awarded for exceptional and outstanding achievement in the service of the United States in a position of responsibility. Reacher believed that, strictly speaking, he deserved it, but he had no doubt that he received the order for the same reason as the first time - an ordinary transaction and a negotiated gift.
Take the trinket and keep quiet about what you had to do for it. There really wasn't much to brag about. The Balkans, ordinary police work, the search for two local residents who had military secrets. The names of both became known quite quickly, they were found, paid a visit and finished off with shots to the head. As part of the peace process. All interests have been respected, and passions in the region have subsided a little. Two weeks to live. Four rounds expended. The usual thing.
Paragraph 600-8-22 was surprisingly vague about how exactly awards should be presented; it was stated only that they should be issued with due formalities and ceremonies. Which usually meant a large room with gilded furniture and lots of flags. And the participation of an officer is higher in rank than the one who receives the medal. Reacher was a major with twelve years of experience, but that morning, in addition to him, three colonels and two brigadier generals were invited to the ceremony, and therefore it was conducted by a lieutenant general from the Pentagon, whom Jack knew from the time when he was a battalion commander in the criminal wanted in Fort Myer. He was no fool and, no doubt, wondered: for what merits does a military police major receive the Legion of Honor? Reacher saw it in the expression of his eyes - ironic and at the same time extremely serious, after all, he was doing his duty. Take the trinket and keep quiet. Perhaps he himself had done something similar in the past. His dress uniform on the left side of his chest was decorated with a whole fruit salad of multi-colored ribbons. Including two "Legions of Honor".
* * *The room corresponding to this formal event was located deep in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, next to the Pentagon, very convenient for the lieutenant general. However, for Reacher too, since the base was located very close to Rock Creek, where he had been hanging out since he returned to America. And it’s completely inconvenient for officers flying in from Germany.
For some time those invited to the ceremony walked around the room, shook hands, exchanged meaningless phrases, then everyone fell silent, lined up and stood at attention. They saluted clearly when awards were pinned on their chests or ribbons hung on their necks, shook hands again, exchanged a few words and moved from one group to another.
Reacher began to make his way to the door, trying to leave as quickly as possible, but he was stopped by the lieutenant general, who shook his hand and held him by the elbow.
“I heard you received new orders,” he said.
“No one has told me about this yet,” Reacher replied. - Bye. How did you know?
- My senior sergeant. They love to chat. The NCOs in our Army have the most effective intelligence network. They always know everything, and I never tire of being amazed.
- And what did they say, where they were sending me?
“They don’t know for sure, but it’s not far.” In any case, to a place that can be reached by car. It seems that the garage received a corresponding request.
- And when will they tell me the news?
– Today, but I don’t know when exactly.
“Thank you,” Reacher said. – It’s good to know such things in advance.
The General released his elbow, Jack reached the door and went out into the corridor, and at that moment a sergeant 1st class braked sharply in front of him, who saluted him. He was out of breath, as if he had come running from a distant part of the complex where the real work was being done.
“General Garber conveys his best wishes to you, sir, and asks you to come to his office at your convenience,” said the messenger.
-Where are they going to send me, soldier? – asked Reacher.
“You can get there by car,” the sergeant answered, “but in our area it can be anything.”
* * *Garber's office was in the Pentagon, and Reacher went there by car with two captains, they lived in Belvor, but were on duty on the evening shift in the B Ring. Garber had his own fenced-off office on the second floor inside two rings, which was guarded by a sergeant sitting at a desk behind the door. When he saw Reacher, he stood up, walked him inside and called his name, just like the butler from the old movie. Then he took a step to the side and was about to retreat, but Garber stopped him, saying:
- Sergeant, I want you to stay.
He complied with the order and stood at ease, with his legs spread wide on the shiny linoleum.
Witness.
“Sit down, Reacher,” Garber said.
Jack sat down on a chair with cylindrical legs intended for visitors, which sank under his weight and moved backwards, as if a strong wind had blown.
“You have new orders,” Garber said.
– What and where? – asked Reacher.
-You're going back to school.
Jack said nothing.
– Disappointed? Garber asked.
That's why a witness was needed, Reacher guessed. Official conversation. This means good behavior is expected.
“As always, General, I’m happy to go wherever the army sends me,” he replied.
- Which school?
“All the details of the new task were taken to your office right now.”
- How long will I be gone?
- Depends on your diligence. I guess as long as it takes.
* * *Reacher boarded a bus in the Pentagon parking lot and drove two stops to the base of the hill where the Rock Creek headquarters was located. Then he walked up the slope and went straight to his office. On the table, right in the center, lay a thin folder with his name and some numbers, entitled: “The Impact of Contemporary Innovations in Forensic Science on Agency Coordination.” Inside he found sheets of paper, still warm from the copier, and among them an official order for a temporary transfer to a location located on rented property in a business park in McLean, Virginia. He was to appear there before five o'clock that day, in civilian clothes. He will live at his place of duty. He will be provided with a personal vehicle. Without a driver.
Reacher tucked the folder under his arm and left the building. Nobody looked after him. No one was interested in him. No longer interesting. He became a disappointment. The sergeant's intelligence network held its breath, but only managed to find out an incomprehensible location and a stupid title. So now he has become an empty space. Out of circulation. Out of sight, out of mind. Like a football player whose name went on the disabled list. In a month, someone might remember him for a second, wonder when or if he'll come back, and then just as quickly forget.
The sergeant, who was sitting with a bored look at the table near the entrance, raised his head and immediately lowered it.
* * *Reacher had few civilian clothes, and some of them weren't exactly civilian clothes. The trousers he wore when he was not on duty—khaki, from the Marine Corps uniform—were thirty years old. He knew a guy who knew another guy who worked in a warehouse. So, that second guy said that they had a whole bunch of things lying around that were mistakenly delivered during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson, but no one bothered to send them to the right address. The main point of the story was that the old Marine Corps uniform pants looked exactly like the new ones from Ralph Lauren. However, Reacher didn't care at all what his pants looked like. However, five bucks is a very attractive price, and the trousers are quite nice. Unworn, never worn by anyone, neatly folded; True, with a slight musty smell, but clearly capable of serving for another thirty years.
The T-shirts he wore in his free time also had nothing to do with civilian clothing; they were old, military grade, faded and thin from numerous washes. Only the jacket was truly civilian - made of brown cotton fabric, Levi's, genuine in every way, down to the label, but sewn by the mother of his ex-girlfriend in the basement of Seoul.
In 1996, Jack Reacher was still serving as a major in the military police, solving one crime after another and receiving well-deserved awards. Suddenly he was informed that he was heading... to evening school to improve his qualifications. Extremely surprised, Reacher arrived at his new duty station. It turned out that school and training are just a screen, a “smoke screen”. In fact, he and several other cool specialists from the FBI and CIA must complete a task of the highest importance. Intelligence services received information that an American living in Hamburg, Germany, was to receive one hundred million dollars from Afghan terrorists. Why are they paying him such unrealistic money? What is he selling? And how to find it? Jack Reacher won't leave night school until he answers all these questions...
Chapter - 01 1
Chapter - 02 4
Chapter - 03 5
Chapter - 04 6
Chapter - 05 8
Chapter - 06 9
Chapter - 07 10
Chapter - 08 12
Chapter - 09 13
Chapter - 10 15
Chapter - 11 17
Chapter - 12 19
Chapter - 13 20
Chapter - 14 22
Chapter - 15 23
Chapter - 16 25
Chapter - 17 28
Chapter - 18 30
Chapter - 19 31
Chapter - 20 32
Chapter - 21 33
Chapter - 22 35
Chapter - 23 37
Chapter - 24 39
Chapter - 25 40
Chapter - 26 41
Chapter - 27 43
Chapter - 28 44
Chapter - 29 47
Chapter - 30 49
Chapter - 31 51
Chapter - 32 53
Chapter - 33 55
Chapter - 34 56
Chapter - 35 58
Chapter - 36 60
Chapter - 37 61
Chapter - 38 63
Chapter - 39 64
Chapter - 40 65
Chapter - 41 67
Chapter - 42 68
Chapter - 43 69
Now 70
Chapter - 44 70
Chapter - 45 71
Notes 72
Lee Child
Jack Reacher, or Night School
Dedicated with deep respect to the men and women around the world who truly do this
Chapter
01
In the morning, Jack Reacher was given an award, and in the afternoon he was sent back to study. It was the Legion of Honor, his second. Beautiful, on white enamel, with a purple ribbon. In accordance with Army Regulations 600-8-22, it is awarded for exceptional and outstanding achievement in the service of the United States in a position of responsibility. Reacher believed that, strictly speaking, he deserved it, but he had no doubt that he received the order for the same reason as the first time - an ordinary transaction and a negotiated gift.
Take the trinket and keep quiet about what you had to do for it. There really wasn't much to brag about. The Balkans, ordinary police work, the search for two local residents who had military secrets. The names of both became known quite quickly, they were found, paid a visit and finished off with shots to the head. As part of the peace process. All interests have been respected, and passions in the region have subsided a little. Two weeks to live. Four rounds expended. The usual thing.
Paragraph 600-8-22 was surprisingly vague about how exactly awards should be presented; it was stated only that they should be issued with due formalities and ceremonies. Which usually meant a large room with gilded furniture and lots of flags. And the participation of an officer is higher in rank than the one who receives the medal. Reacher was a major with twelve years of experience, but that morning, in addition to him, three colonels and two brigadier generals were invited to the ceremony, and therefore it was conducted by a lieutenant general from the Pentagon, whom Jack knew from the time when he was a battalion commander in the criminal wanted in Fort Myer. He was no fool and, no doubt, wondered: for what merits does a military police major receive the Legion of Merit? Reacher saw it in the expression of his eyes - ironic and at the same time extremely serious, after all, he was doing his duty. Take the trinket and keep quiet. Perhaps he himself had done something similar in the past. His dress uniform on the left side of his chest was decorated with a whole fruit salad of multi-colored ribbons. Including two "Legions of Honor".
The room corresponding to this formal event was located deep in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, next to the Pentagon, very convenient for the lieutenant general. However, for Reacher too, since the base was located very close to Rock Creek, where he had been hanging out since he returned to America. And it’s completely inconvenient for officers flying in from Germany.
For some time those invited to the ceremony walked around the room, shook hands, exchanged meaningless phrases, then everyone fell silent, lined up and stood at attention. They saluted clearly when awards were pinned on their chests or ribbons hung on their necks, shook hands again, exchanged a few words and moved from one group to another.
Reacher began to make his way to the door, trying to leave as quickly as possible, but he was stopped by the lieutenant general, who shook his hand and held him by the elbow.
“I heard you received new orders,” he said.
“No one has told me about this yet,” Reacher replied. - Bye. How did you know?
- My senior sergeant. They love to chat. The NCOs in our Army have the most effective intelligence network. They always know everything, and I never tire of being amazed.
- And what did they say, where they were sending me?
“They don’t know for sure, but it’s not far.” In any case, to a place that can be reached by car. It seems that the garage received a corresponding request.
- And when will they tell me the news?
– Today, but I don’t know when exactly.
“Thank you,” Reacher said. – It’s good to know such things in advance.
The General released his elbow, Jack reached the door and went out into the corridor, and at that moment a sergeant 1st class braked sharply in front of him, who saluted him. He was out of breath, as if he had come running from a distant part of the complex where the real work was being done.
“General Garber conveys his best wishes to you, sir, and asks you to come to his office at your convenience,” said the messenger.
-Where are they going to send me, soldier? – asked Reacher.
“You can get there by car,” the sergeant answered, “but in our area it can be anything.”
Garber's office was in the Pentagon, and Reacher went there by car with two captains, they lived in Belvor, but were on duty on the evening shift in the B Ring. Garber had his own fenced-off office on the second floor inside two rings, which was guarded by a sergeant sitting at a desk behind the door. When he saw Reacher, he stood up, walked him inside and called his name, just like the butler from the old movie. Then he took a step to the side and was about to retreat, but Garber stopped him, saying:
- Sergeant, I want you to stay.
He complied with the order and stood at ease, with his legs spread wide on the shiny linoleum.
Witness.
“Sit down, Reacher,” Garber said.
Jack sat down on a chair with cylindrical legs intended for visitors, which sank under his weight and moved backwards, as if a strong wind had blown.
“You have new orders,” Garber said.
– What and where? – asked Reacher.
-You're going back to school.
Jack said nothing.
– Disappointed? Garber asked.
That's why a witness was needed, Reacher guessed. Official conversation. This means good behavior is expected.
“As always, General, I’m happy to go wherever the army sends me,” he replied.
- Which school?
“All the details of the new task were taken to your office right now.”
- How long will I be gone?
- Depends on your diligence. I guess as long as it takes.
Copyright © 2016 by Lee Child
© Goldich V., Oganesova I., translation into Russian, 2017
© Edition in Russian, design. LLC Publishing House E, 2017
Dedicated with deep respect to the men and women around the world who truly do this
In the morning, Jack Reacher was given an award, and in the afternoon he was sent back to study. It was the Legion of Honor, his second. Beautiful, on white enamel, with a purple ribbon. In accordance with Army Regulations 600-8-22, it is awarded for exceptional and outstanding achievement in the service of the United States in a position of responsibility. Reacher believed that, strictly speaking, he deserved it, but he had no doubt that he received the order for the same reason as the first time - an ordinary transaction and a negotiated gift.
Take the trinket and keep quiet about what you had to do for it. There really wasn't much to brag about. The Balkans, ordinary police work, the search for two local residents who had military secrets. The names of both became known quite quickly, they were found, paid a visit and finished off with shots to the head. As part of the peace process. All interests have been respected, and passions in the region have subsided a little. Two weeks to live. Four rounds expended. The usual thing.
Paragraph 600-8-22 was surprisingly vague about how exactly awards should be presented; it was stated only that they should be issued with due formalities and ceremonies. Which usually meant a large room with gilded furniture and lots of flags. And the participation of an officer is higher in rank than the one who receives the medal. Reacher was a major with twelve years of experience, but that morning, in addition to him, three colonels and two brigadier generals were invited to the ceremony, and therefore it was conducted by a lieutenant general from the Pentagon, whom Jack knew from the time when he was a battalion commander in the criminal wanted in Fort Myer. He was no fool and, no doubt, wondered: for what merits does a military police major receive the Legion of Honor? Reacher saw it in the expression of his eyes - ironic and at the same time extremely serious, after all, he was doing his duty. Take the trinket and keep quiet. Perhaps he himself had done something similar in the past. His dress uniform on the left side of his chest was decorated with a whole fruit salad of multi-colored ribbons. Including two "Legions of Honor".
The room corresponding to this formal event was located deep in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, next to the Pentagon, very convenient for the lieutenant general. However, for Reacher too, since the base was located very close to Rock Creek, where he had been hanging out since he returned to America. And it’s completely inconvenient for officers flying in from Germany.
For some time those invited to the ceremony walked around the room, shook hands, exchanged meaningless phrases, then everyone fell silent, lined up and stood at attention. They saluted clearly when awards were pinned on their chests or ribbons hung on their necks, shook hands again, exchanged a few words and moved from one group to another.
Reacher began to make his way to the door, trying to leave as quickly as possible, but he was stopped by the lieutenant general, who shook his hand and held him by the elbow.
“I heard you received new orders,” he said.
“No one has told me about this yet,” Reacher replied. - Bye. How did you know?
- My senior sergeant. They love to chat. The NCOs in our Army have the most effective intelligence network. They always know everything, and I never tire of being amazed.
- And what did they say, where they were sending me?
“They don’t know for sure, but it’s not far.” In any case, to a place that can be reached by car. It seems that the garage received a corresponding request.
- And when will they tell me the news?
– Today, but I don’t know when exactly.
“Thank you,” Reacher said. – It’s good to know such things in advance.
The General released his elbow, Jack reached the door and went out into the corridor, and at that moment a sergeant 1st class braked sharply in front of him, who saluted him. He was out of breath, as if he had come running from a distant part of the complex where the real work was being done.
“General Garber conveys his best wishes to you, sir, and asks you to come to his office at your convenience,” said the messenger.
-Where are they going to send me, soldier? – asked Reacher.
“You can get there by car,” the sergeant answered, “but in our area it can be anything.”
Garber's office was in the Pentagon, and Reacher went there by car with two captains, they lived in Belvor, but were on duty on the evening shift in the B Ring. Garber had his own fenced-off office on the second floor inside two rings, which was guarded by a sergeant sitting at a desk behind the door. When he saw Reacher, he stood up, walked him inside and called his name, just like the butler from the old movie. Then he took a step to the side and was about to retreat, but Garber stopped him, saying:
- Sergeant, I want you to stay.
He complied with the order and stood at ease, with his legs spread wide on the shiny linoleum.
Witness.
“Sit down, Reacher,” Garber said.
Jack sat down on a chair with cylindrical legs intended for visitors, which sank under his weight and moved backwards, as if a strong wind had blown.
“You have new orders,” Garber said.
– What and where? – asked Reacher.
-You're going back to school.
Jack said nothing.
– Disappointed? Garber asked.
That's why a witness was needed, Reacher guessed. Official conversation. This means good behavior is expected.
“As always, General, I’m happy to go wherever the army sends me,” he replied.
- Which school?
“All the details of the new task were taken to your office right now.”
- How long will I be gone?
- Depends on your diligence. I guess as long as it takes.
Reacher boarded a bus in the Pentagon parking lot and drove two stops to the base of the hill where the Rock Creek headquarters was located. Then he walked up the slope and went straight to his office. On the table, right in the center, lay a thin folder with his name and some numbers, entitled: “The Impact of Contemporary Innovations in Forensic Science on Agency Coordination.” Inside he found sheets of paper, still warm from the copier, and among them an official order for a temporary transfer to a location located on rented property in a business park in McLean, Virginia. He was to appear there before five o'clock that day, in civilian clothes. He will live at his place of duty. He will be provided with a personal vehicle. Without a driver.
Reacher tucked the folder under his arm and left the building. Nobody looked after him. No one was interested in him. No longer interesting. He became a disappointment. The sergeant's intelligence network held its breath, but only managed to find out an incomprehensible location and a stupid title. So now he has become an empty space. Out of circulation. Out of sight, out of mind. Like a football player whose name went on the disabled list. In a month, someone might remember him for a second, wonder when or if he'll come back, and then just as quickly forget.
The sergeant, who was sitting with a bored look at the table near the entrance, raised his head and immediately lowered it.
Reacher had few civilian clothes, and some of them weren't exactly civilian clothes. The trousers he wore when he was not on duty—khaki, from the Marine Corps uniform—were thirty years old. He knew a guy who knew another guy who worked in a warehouse. So, that second guy said that they had a whole bunch of things lying around that were mistakenly delivered during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson, but no one bothered to send them to the right address. The main point of the story was that the old Marine Corps uniform pants looked exactly like the new ones from Ralph Lauren. However, Reacher didn't care at all what his pants looked like. However, five bucks is a very attractive price, and the trousers are quite nice. Unworn, never worn by anyone, neatly folded; True, with a slight musty smell, but clearly capable of serving for another thirty years.
Jack Reacher, or Night School Lee Child
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Title: Jack Reacher, or Night School
About the book "Jack Reacher, or Night School" by Lee Child
In 1996, Jack Reacher was still serving as a major in the military police, solving one crime after another and receiving well-deserved awards. Suddenly he was informed that he was heading... to evening school to improve his qualifications. Extremely surprised, Reacher arrived at his new duty station. It turned out that school and training are just a screen, a “smoke screen.” In fact, he and several other cool specialists from the FBI and CIA must complete a task of the highest importance. Intelligence services received information that an American living in Hamburg, Germany, was to receive one hundred million dollars from Afghan terrorists. Why are they paying him such unrealistic money? What is he selling? And how to find it? Jack Reacher won't leave night school until he answers all these questions...
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