inca.gold-第45部分

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nd　the　original　construction　crew；　who　were　brought　in　from　Russia　and　then　returned　when　the　subterranean　rooms　were　pleted；　so　no　outsiders　could　reveal　the　facility's　existence。
　　　　The　driver　slipped　from　behind　the　steering　wheel；　walked　around　to　the　rear　of　the　van　and　pulled　a　long　metal　cylinder　from　inside　that　was　attached　to　a　cart　whose　wheels　automatically　unfolded　once　it　was　pulled　free；　like　an　ambulance　gurney。　When　all　four　wheels　were　extended；　he　rolled　the　cart　and　cylinder　across　the　huge　basement　toward　a　closed　room。
　　　　As　he　pushed；　the　van　driver　stared　at　his　reflection　in　the　polished　metal　of　the　cylinder。　He　was　of　average　height　with　a　well…rounded　stomach。　He　looked　heavier　than　his　actual　weight　because　of　a　tight…fitting　pair　of　white　coveralls。　His　medium　brown　hair　was　clipped　short　in　a　military　crew　cut；　and　his　cheeks　and　chin　were　closely　shaven。　He　found　it　amusing　that　his　shamrock　green　eyes　took　on　a　silver　tint　from　the　aluminum　container。　Now　deceptively　dreamy；　they　could　turn　as　hard　as　flint　when　he　was　angry　or　tense。　A　police　detective；　good　at　providing　accurate　descriptions；　would　have　described　Charles　Zolar；　legal　name　Charles　Oxley；　as　a　con　man　who　did　not　look　like　a　con　man。
　　　　His　brothers；　Joseph　Zolar　and　Cyrus　Sarason；　opened　the　door　and　stepped　from　the　room　to　affectionately　embrace　him。
　　　　〃Congratulations；〃　said　Sarason；　〃a　remarkable　triumph　of　subterfuge。〃
　　　　Zolar　nodded。　〃Our　father　couldn't　have　planned　a　smoother　theft。　You've　done　the　family　proud。〃
　　　　〃Praise　indeed；〃　Oxley　said；　smiling。　〃You　don't　know　how　happy　I　am　to　finally　deliver　the　mummy　to　a　safe　place。〃
　　　　〃Are　you　certain　no　one　saw　you　remove　it　from　Rummel's　building　or　followed　you　across　the　country？〃　asked　Sarason。
　　　　Oxley　stared　at　him。　〃You　insult　my　capabilities；　brother。　I　took　all　the　required　precautions　and　drove　to　Galveston　during　daylight　business　hours　over　secondary　roads。　I　was　especially　careful　not　to　break　any　traffic　laws。　Trust　me　when　I　say　I　wasn't　followed。〃
　　　　〃Pay　no　heed　to　Cyrus；〃　said　Zolar；　smiling。　〃He　tends　to　be　paranoid　when　it　es　to　covering　our　tracks。〃
　　　　〃We've　e　too　far　to　make　a　mistake　now；〃　Sarason　said　in　a　low　voice。
　　　　Oxley　peered　behind　his　brothers　into　the　reaches　of　the　vast　storage　room。　〃Are　the　glyph　experts　here？〃
　　　　Sarason　nodded。　〃A　professor　of　anthropology　from　Harvard；　who　has　made　pre…Columbian　ideographic　symbols　his　life's　work；　and　his　wife；　who　handles　the　puter　end　of　their　decoding　program。　Henry　and　Micki　Moore。〃
　　　　Do　they　know　where　they　are？〃
　　　　Zolar　shook　his　head。　〃They've　been　wearing　blindfolds　and　listening　to　cassette　players　ever　since　our　agents　picked　them　up　in　a　limo　at　their　condo　in　Boston。　After　they　were　airborne　in　a　chartered　jet；　the　pilot　was　instructed　to　circle　around　for　two　hours　before　flying　to　Galveston。　They　were　brought　here　from　the　airport　in　a　soundproof　delivery　truck。　It's　safe　to　say　they　haven't　seen　or　heard　a　thing。〃
　　　　〃So　for　all　they　know；　they're　in　a　research　laboratory　somewhere　in　California　or　Oregon？〃
　　　　〃That's　the　impression　laid　on　them　during　the　flight；〃　replied　Sarason。
　　　　〃They　must　have　asked　questions？〃
　　　　〃At　first；〃　answered　Zolar。　〃But　when　our　agents　informed　them　they　would　receive　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　cash　for　decoding　an　artifact；　the　Moores　promised　their　full　cooperation。　They　also　promised　to　keep　their　lips　sealed。〃
　　　　〃And　you　trust　them？〃　Oxley　asked　dubiously。
　　　　Sarason　smiled　malevolently。　〃Of　course　not。〃
　　　　Oxley　didn't　have　to　read　minds　to　know　that　Henry　and　Micki　Moore　would　soon　be　names　on　a　tombstone。　〃No　sense　in　wasting　more　time；　brothers；〃　he　said。　〃Where　do　you　want　General　Naymlap's　mummy？〃
　　　　Sarason　gestured　‘toward　one　section　of　the　underground　facility。　〃We've　partitioned　a　special　room。　I'll　show　you　the　way　while　brother　Joseph　escorts　our　experts。〃　He　hesitated；　pulled　three　black　ski　masks　from　his　coat　pocket　and　flipped　one　to　Oxley。　〃Put　that　on；　we　don't　want　them　to　see　our　faces。〃
　　　　〃Why　bother？　They　won't　live　to　identify　us。〃
　　　　〃To　intimidate　them。〃
　　　　〃A　little　extreme；　but　I　guess　you　have　a　point。〃
　　　　While　Zolar　guided　the　Moores　to　the　enclosed　room；　Oxley　and　Sarason　carefully　removed　the　golden　mummy　from　the　container　and　laid　it　on　a　table　covered　with　several　layers　of　velvet　padding。　The　room　had　been　furnished　with　a　small　kitchen；　beds；　and　a　bathroom。　A　large　desk　was　set　with　note　and　sketch　pads　and　several　magnifying　glasses　with　varied　degrees　of　magnification。　There　was　also　a　puter　terminal　with　a　laser　printer　loaded　with　the　proper　software。　An　array　of　overhead　spotlights　was　positioned　to　accent　the　images　engraved　on　the　golden　body　suit。
　　　　When　the　Moores　entered　the　room；　their　headsets　and　blindfolds　were　removed。
　　　　〃I　trust　you　were　not　too　unfortable；〃　said　Zolar　courteously。
　　　　The　Moores　blinked　under　the　bright　lights　and　rubbed　their　eyes。　Henry　Moore　looked　and　acted　the　role　of　an　Ivy　League　professor。　He　was　aging　gracefully　with　a　slim　body；　a　full　head　of　shaggy　gray　hair；　and　the　plexion　of　a　teenage　boy。　Dressed　in　a　tweed　jacket　with　leather　patches　on　the　sleeves；　he　wore　his　school　tie　knotted　under　the　collar　of　a　dark　green　cotton　shirt。　As　an　added　touch　he　sported　a　small　white　carnation　in　his　lapel。
　　　　Micki　Moore　was　a　good　fifteen　years　younger　than　her　husband。　Like　him；　she　had　a　slender　figure；　almost　as　thin　as　the　seventies　era　fashion　model　she　had　once　been。　Her　skin　was　on　the　dark　side　and　the　high；　rounded　cheekbones　suggested　American　Indian　genes　somewhere　in　her　ancestry。　She　was　a　good…looking　woman；　beautifully　poised；　with　an　elegance　and　regal　bearing　that　made　her　stand　out　at　university　cocktail　and　dinner　parties。　Her　gray　eyes　focused　and　then　darted　from　one　masked　brother　to　another　before　ing　to　rest　on　the　Golden　Body　Suit　of　Tiapollo。
　　　　〃A　truly　magnificent　piece　of　work；〃　she　said　softly。　〃You　never　fully　described　what　it　was　you　wanted　my　husband　and　me　to　decipher。〃
　　　　〃We　apologize　for　the　melodramatic　precautions；〃　Zolar　said　sincerely。　〃But　as　you　can　see；　this　Inca　artifact　is　priceless；　and　until　it　is　fully　examined　by　experts　such　as　you；　we　do　not　wish　word　of　its　existence　to　reach　certain　people　who　might　attempt　to　steal　it。〃
　　　　Henry　Moore　ignored　the　brothers　and　rushed　to　the　table。　He　took　a　pair　of　reading　glasses　from　a　case　in　his　breast　pocket；　slid　them　over　his　nose　and　peered　closely　at　the　glyphs　on　one　arm　of　the　suit。　〃Remarkable　detail；〃　he　said　admiringly。　〃Except　for　textiles　and　a　few　pieces　of　pottery；　this　is　the　most　extensive　display　of　iconography　I've　ever　seen　produced　on　any　object　from　the　Late　Horizon　era。〃
　　　　〃Do　you　see　any　problem　in　deciphering　the　images？〃　asked　Zolar。
　　　　〃It　will　be　a　labor　of　love；〃　said　Moore；　without　taking　his　eyes　from　the　golden　suit。　〃But　Rome　wasn't　built　in　a　day。　It　will　be　a　slow　process。〃
　　　　Sarason　was　impatient。　〃We　need　answers　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　　　　〃You　can't　rush　me；〃　Moore　said　indignantly。　〃Not　if　you　want　an　accurate　version　of　what　the　images　tell　us。〃
　　　　〃He's　right；〃　said　Oxley。　〃We　can't　afford　faulty　data。〃
　　　　〃The　Moores　are　being　well　paid　for　their　efforts；〃　Sarason　said　sternly。　〃Misinterpretations　will　cancel　all　payment。〃
　　　　Anger　rising；　Moore　snapped；　〃Misinterpretations　indeed！　You're　lucky　my　wife　and　I　accepted　your　proposal。　One　look　at　what's　on　the　table；　and　we're　aware　of　the　reasons　behind　your　juvenile　hocus…pocus　games。　Running　around　with　masks　over　your　faces　as　if　you　were　holding　up　a　bank。　Total　and　utter　nonsense。〃
　　　　〃What　are　you　saying？〃　Sarason　demanded。
　　　　〃Any　historian　worth　his　salt　knows　the　Golden　Body　Suit　of　Tiapollo　was　stolen　from　Spain　in　the　nineteen　twenties　and　never　recovered。〃
　　　　〃How　do　you　know　this　isn't　another　one　that　was　recently　discovered？〃
　　　　Moore　pointed　to　the　first　image　of　a　panel　that　traveled　from　the　left　shoulder　to　the　hand。　〃The　symbol　of　a　great　warrior；　a　Chachapoyan　general　known　as　Naymlap　who　served　the　great　Inca　ruler　Huascar。　Legend　claims　he　stood　as　high　as　any　modern　star　basketball　player　and　had　blond　hair；　blue　eyes；　and　fair　skin。　Judging　from　the　size　of　the　golden　suit　and　my　knowledge　of　its　history；　there　is　no　doubt　that　this　is　Naymlap's　mummy。〃
　　　　Sarason　moved　close　to　the　anthropologist。　〃You　and　your　wife　just　do　your　job；　no　mistakes；　no　more　lectures。〃
　　　　Zolar　quickly　stepped　in　to　defuse　what　was　rapidly　developing　into　a　nasty　confrontation。　〃Please　excuse　my　associate；　Dr。　Moore。　I　apologize　for　his　rude　behavior；　but　I　think　you　understand　that　we're　all　a　little　excited　about　finding　the　golden　suit。　You're　quite　right。　This　is　Naymlap's　mummy。〃
　　　　〃How　did　you　e　by　it？〃　asked　Moore。
　　　　〃I　can't　say；　but　I　will　promise　you　that　it　is　going　back　to　Spain　as　soon　as　it　has　been　fully　studied　by　experts　such　as　you　and　your　wife。〃
　　　　A　canny　smile　curled　Moore's　lips。　〃Very　scrupulous　of　you；　whatever　your　name　is；　to　send　it　back　to　its　rightful　owners。　But　not　before　my　wife　and　I　decode　the　instructions　leading　to　Huascar's　treasure。〃
　　　　Oxley　muttered　something　unintelligible　under　his　breath　as　Sarason　stepped　toward　Moore。　But　Zolar　stretched　out　an　arm　and　held　him　back。　〃You　see　through　our　masquerade。〃
　　　　〃I　do。〃
　　　　〃Shall　I　assume　you　wish　to　make　a　counterproposal；　Dr。　Moore？〃
　　　　Moore　glanced　at　his　wife。　She　looked　strangely　withdrawn。　Then　he　turned　to　Zolar。　〃If　our　expertise　leads　you　to　the　treasure；　I　don't　think　a　twenty　percent　share　is　out　of　line。〃
　　　　The　brothers　stared　at　one　another　for　several　moments；　considering。　Oxley　and　Zolar　couldn't　see　Sarason's　face　behind　the　ski　mask　but　they　could　see　their　brother's　eyes　blaze　with　fury。
　　　　Zolar　nodded。　〃Considering　the　potential　for　incredible　riches；　I　do　believe　Dr。　Moore　is　being　quite　generous。〃
　　　　〃I　agree；〃　said　Oxley。　〃All　things　considered；　the　good　professor's　offer　is　not　exorbitant。〃　He　held　out　his　hand。　〃You　and　Mrs。　Moore　have　a　deal。　If　we　find　the　treasure；　your　share　is　twenty　percent。〃
　　　　Moore　shook　hands。　He　turned　to　his　wife　and　smiled