Читать книгу Assassin: The True Story of One of America's Most Successful Assassins - Robert J. Firth - Страница 5

I first met John Scott in 1979 in Lagos Nigeria where he was "tying up a few loose ends." I was flying there for an oil company and he was aboard several of my flights. We met at the Swim and Racquet club in Lagos and, over the years, have become close friends. A few years ago he asked me if I would help him write this book. You will learn what he meant by "tying up a few loose ends" as you read this book.

Scott is a serious quiet man, about 185 lbs, average in height with sandy brown hair, shocking blue eyes and carries himself like the athlete he is. But the sport he excels in differs somewhat from those where gold metals are handed out.

Like many of America's war fighters, John was born in a small town in the south, he grew up hunting, fishing and trapping. He was always more comfortable sleeping in the woods than any house. John was given a gun at 14 and taught very carefully to respect and fear its capability. He never misuses firearms. As he says, "all firearms are designed for one thing- killing. No one shoots to wound- that's stupid!" Some people shoot targets but, for real hunters, that's only so that when they shoot to kill they don't miss.

Scott has a talent for language that became apparent in his sophomore year in high school. He studied Spanish and Russian at university. He was, and remains today, inordinately strong and fast- faster and stronger than anyone I know. He runs forever and never tires. John has a good mind and is quick at math. He studied engineering and even worked as an engineer. John's Father, like mine, was a senior pilot with a main-line air carrier and that's really what he wanted to do. After school in fact, he did exactly that giving up engineering.

Vietnam came along and, as the Navy paid for his education; he owed them 4 years of active duty or 8 in the reserves. He was in the reserves, flying for a small Midwestern airline when recalled to visit the pearl of the Orient and kill some little yellow men. Because he was a pilot and because one of the alphabet agencies needed pilots, he was seconded to this outfit and entered a dark and secret world although, at the time, I don't think he knew that.

Scott has spent by now some 50 years in the killing business. He remembers each and every personal kill with great clarity. To a degree, He's still in the game which has changed significantly as the trade craft tools have developed. The organization is faster, quieter, better prepared and better armed- they have tools and weapons today I couldn't have imagined.

I will tell you about John Scott's life as he told it to me- in the first person- and let's see if you think it's as glamorous and exciting as you and Ian Fleming imagined!

Robert J. Firth