inca.gold-第78部分

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of　red　tape。　Full　cooperation　was　given　by　an　unwitting　Mexican　government　misled　by　corrupt　bureaucrats。　Joseph　Zolar's　request　for　a　contingent　of　engineers　from　a　military　base　on　the　Baja　Peninsula　was　quickly　approved。　Under　the　terms　of　a　swiftly　drawn　up　contract　with　the　Ministry　of　the　Treasury；　the　Zolars　were　entitled　to　25　percent　of　the　treasure。　The　rest　was　to　be　deposited　with　the　national　court　in　Mexico　City。
　　　　The　only　problem　with　the　agreement　was　that　the　Zolars　had　no　intention　of　keeping　their　end　of　the　bargain。　They　weren't　about　to　split　the　treasure　with　anyone。
　　　　Once　the　golden　chain　and　the　bulk　of　the　treasure　had　been　hauled　to　the　top　of　the　mountain；　a　covert　operation　was　created　to　move　the　hoard　under　cover　of　darkness　to　a　remote　military　airstrip　near　the　great　sand　dunes　of　the　Altar　Desert　just　south　of　the　Arizona　border。　There；　it　would　be　loaded　aboard　a　mercial　jet　transport；　painted　with　the　markings　and　colors　of　a　major　airline　pany；　and　then　flown　to　a　secret　distribution　facility　owned　by　the　Zolars　in　the　small　city　of　Nador　on　the　north　coast　of　Morocco。
　　　　Everyone　had　been　ferried　from　the　hacienda　to　the　mountaintop　as　soon　as　it　became　daylight。　No　personal　effects　were　left　behind。　Only　Zolar's　jetliner　remained；　parked　on　the　hacienda's　airstrip；　ready　for　takeoff　on　a　moment's　notice。
　　　　Loren　and　Rudi　were　released　from　their　prison　and　sent　over　later　the　same　morning。　Ignoring　Sarason's　orders　not　to　municate　with　the　hostages；　Micki　Moore　had　passionately　tended　to　their　cuts　and　bruises　and　made　sure　they　were　fed　a　decent　meal。　Since　there　was　little　chance　they　could　escape　by　climbing　down　the　rocky　walls　of　the　mountain；　no　one　guarded　them　and　they　were　left　on　their　own　to　wander　about　as　they　pleased。
　　　　Oxley　quickly　discovered　the　small　aperture　leading　inside　the　mountain　and　wasted　no　time　in　directing　a　military　work　crew　to　enlarge　it。　He　stayed　behind　to　oversee　the　equipment　staging　while　Zolar；　Sarason；　and　the　Moores　set　off　down　the　passageway　followed　by　a　squad　of　engineers；　who　carried　portable　fluorescent　lights。
　　　　When　they　reached　the　second　demon；　Micki　lovingly　touched　its　eyes；　just　as　Shannon　Kelsey　had　done　before　her。　She　sighed。　〃A　marvelous　piece　of　work。〃
　　　　〃Beautifully　preserved；〃　Henry　Moore　agreed。
　　　　〃It　will　have　to　be　destroyed；〃　said　Sarason　indifferently。
　　　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　demanded　Moore。
　　　　〃We　can't　move　it。　The　ugly　beast　fills　up　most　of　the　tunnel。　There　is　no　way　we　can　drag　Huascar's　chain　over；　around；　or　between　its　legs。〃
　　　　Micki's　face　went　tense　with　shock。　〃You　can't　destroy　a　masterwork　of　antiquity。〃
　　　　〃We　can　and　we　will；〃　Zolar　said；　backing　his　brother。　〃I　agree　it's　unfortunate。　But　we　don't　have　time　for　archaeological　zealotry。　The　sculpture　has　to　go。〃
　　　　Moore's　pained　expression　slowly　turned　hard；　and　he　looked　at　his　wife　and　nodded。　〃Sacrifices　must　be　made。〃
　　　　Micki　understood。　If　they　were　to　seize　enough　of　the　golden　riches　to　keep　them　in　luxury　for　the　rest　of　their　lives；　they　would　have　to　close　their　eyes　to　the　demolition　of　the　demon。
　　　　They　pushed　on　as　Sarason　lagged　behind　and　ordered　the　engineers　to　place　a　charge　of　explosives　under　the　demon。　〃Be　careful；〃　he　warned　them　in　Spanish。　〃Use　a　small　charge。　We　don't　want　to　cause　a　cave…in。〃
　　　　Zolar　was　amazed　at　the　Moores'　vast　energy　and　enthusiasm　after　they　encountered　the　crypt　of　the　treasure　guardians。　If　left　on　their　own；　they　would　have　spent　a　week　studying　the　mummies　and　the　burial　ornaments　before　pushing　on　to　the　treasure　chamber。
　　　　〃Let's　keep　going；〃　said　Zolar　impatiently。　〃You　can　nose　around　the　dead　later。〃
　　　　Reluctantly；　the　Moores　continued　into　the　guardians'　living　quarters；　lingering　only　a　few　minutes　before　Sarason　rejoined　his　brother　and　urged　them　onward。
　　　　The　sudden　sight　of　the　guardian　encased　in　calcite　crystals　shocked　and　stunned　all　of　them；　as　it　had　Pitt　and　his　group。　Henry　Moore　peered　intently　through　the　translucent　sarcophagus。
　　　　〃An　ancient　Chachapoya；〃　he　murmured　as　if　standing　before　a　crucifix。　〃Preserved　as　he　died。　This　is　an　unbelievable　discovery。〃
　　　　〃He　must　have　been　a　noble　warrior　of　very　high　status；〃　said　Micki　in　awe。
　　　　〃A　logical　conclusion；　my　dear。　This　man　had　to　be　very　powerful　to　bear　the　responsibility　of　guarding　an　immense　royal　treasure。〃
　　　　〃What　do　you　think　he's　worth？〃　asked　Sarason。
　　　　Moore　turned　and　scowled　at　him。　〃You　can't　set　a　price　on　such　an　extraordinary　object。　As　a　window　to　the　past；　he　is　priceless。〃
　　　　〃I　know　a　collector　who　would　give　five　million　dollars　for　him；〃　said　Zolar；　as　if　he　were　appraising　a　Ming　vase。
　　　　〃The　Chachapoya　warrior　belongs　to　science；〃　Moore　lashed　back；　his　anger　choking　him。　〃He　is　a　visible　link　to　the　past　and　belongs　in　a　museum；　not　in　the　living　room　of　some　morally　corrupt　gatherer　of　stolen　artifacts。〃
　　　　Zolar　threw　Moore　an　insidious　look。　〃All　right；　Professor；　he's　yours　for　your　share　of　the　gold。〃
　　　　Moore　looked　agonized。　His　professional　training　as　a　scientist　fought　a　war　with　his　greed。　He　felt　dirtied　and　ashamed　now　that　he　realized　that　Huascar's　legacy　went　beyond　mere　wealth。　He　was　overe　with　regret　that　he　was　dealing　with　unscrupulous　scum。　He　gripped　his　wife's　hand；　knowing　without　doubt　she　felt　the　same。　〃If　that's　what　it　takes。　You've　got　yourself　a　deal。〃
　　　　Zolar　laughed。　〃Now　that's　settled。　Can　we　please　proceed　and　find　what　we　came　here　for？〃
　　　　A　few　minutes　later；　they　stood　in　a　shoulder…to…shoulder　line　on　the　edge　of　the　subterranean　riverbank　and　stared　mesmerized　at　the　array　of　gold；　highlighted　by　the　portable　fluorescent　lamps　carried　by　the　military　engineers。　All　they　saw　was　the　treasure。　The　sight　of　a　river　flowing　through　the　bowels　of　the　earth　seemed　insignificant。
　　　　〃Spectacular；〃　whispered　Zolar。　〃I　can't　believe　I'm　looking　at　so　much　gold。〃
　　　　〃This　easily　exceeds　the　treasures　of　King　Tut's　tomb；〃　said　Moore。
　　　　〃How　magnificent；〃　said　Micki；　clutching　her　husband's　arm。　〃This　has　to　be　the　richest　cache　in　all　the　Americas。〃
　　　　Sarason's　amazement　quickly　wore　off。　〃Very　clever　of　those　ancient　bastards；〃　he　charged。　〃Storing　the　treasure　on　an　island　surrounded　by　a　strong　current　makes　recovery　doubly　plicated。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　but　we've　got　cables　and　winches；〃　said　Moore。
　　　　INCA　GOLD
　　　　〃Think　of　the　difficulty　they　had　in　moving　all　that　gold　over　there　with　nothing　but　hemp　rope　and　muscle。〃
　　　　Micki　spied　a　golden　monkey　crouched　on　a　pedestal。　〃That's　odd。〃
　　　　Zolar　looked　at　her。　〃What's　odd？〃
　　　　She　stepped　closer　to　the　monkey　and　its　pedestal　which　was　lying　on　its　side。　〃Why　would　this　piece　still　be　on　this　bank　of　the　river？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　it　does　seem　strange　this　object　wasn't　placed　with　the　others；〃　said　Moore。　〃It　almost　looks　as　if　it　was　thrown　here。〃
　　　　Sarason　pointed　to　gouges　in　the　sand　and　calcium　crystals　beside　the　riverbank。　〃I'd　say　it　was　dragged　off　the　island。〃
　　　　〃It　has　writing　scratched　on　it；〃　said　Moore。
　　　　〃Can　you　decipher　anything？〃　asked　Zolar。
　　　　〃Doesn't　need　deciphering。　The　markings　are　in　English。〃
　　　　Sarason　and　Zolar　stared　at　him　with　the　expressions　of　Wall　Street　bankers　walking　along　the　sidewalk　and　being　asked　by　a　homeless　derelict　if　they　could　spare　fifty　thousand　dollars。　〃No　jokes；　Professor；〃　said　Zolar。
　　　　〃I'm　dead　serious。　Somebody　engraved　a　message　into　the　soft　gold　on　the　bottom　of　the　pedestal；　quite　recently　by　the　looks　of　it。〃
　　　　〃What　does　it　say？〃
　　　　Moore　motioned　for　an　engineer　to　aim　his　lamp　at　the　monkey's　pedestal；　adjusted　his　glasses　and　began　reading　aloud。

Wele　members　of　the　Solpemachaco　to　the　underground　thieves　and　plunderers　annual　convention。
If　you　have　any　ambitions　in　life　other　than　the　acquisition　of　stolen　loot；　you　have　e　to　the　right　place。
Be　our　guests　and　take　only　the　objects　you　can　use。

Your　congenial　sponsors；
Dr。　Shannon　Kelsey；　Miles　Rodgers；　Al　Giordino；　&　Dirk　Pitt。

There　was　a　moment　of　sober　realization；　and　then　Zolar　snarled　at　his　brother。　〃What　in　hell　is　going　on　here？　What　kind　of　foolish　trick　is　this？〃
　　　　Sarason's　mouth　was　pinched　in　a　bitter　line。　〃Pitt　admitted　leading　us　to　the　demon；〃　he　answered　reluctantly；　〃but　he　said　nothing　of　entering　the　mountain　and　laying　eyes　on　the　treasure。〃
　　　　〃Generous　with　his　information；　wasn't　he？　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　this？〃
　　　　Sarason　shrugged。　〃He's　dead。　I　didn't　think　it　mattered。〃
　　　　Micki　turned　to　her　husband。　〃I　know　Dr。　Kelsey。　I　met　her　at　an　archaeology　conference　in　San　Antonio。　She　has　a　splendid　reputation　as　an　expert　on　Andean　cultures。〃
　　　　Moore　nodded。　〃Yes；　I'm　familiar　with　her　work。〃　He　stared　at　Sarason。　〃You　led　us　to　believe　Congresswoman　Smith　and　the　men　from　NUMA　were　merely　on　a　treasure　hunt。　You　said　nothing　of　involvement　by　professional　archaeologists。〃
　　　　〃Does　it　make　any　difference？〃
　　　　〃Something　is　going　on　beyond　your　control；〃　warned　Moore。　He　looked　as　if　he　was　enjoying　the　Zolars'　confusion。　〃If　I　were　you；　I'd　get　the　gold　out　of　here　as　fast　as　possible。〃
　　　　His　words　were　punctuated　by　a　muffled　explosion　far　up　into　the　passageway。
　　　　〃We　have　nothing　to　fear　so　long　as　Pitt　is　dead；〃　Sarason　kept　insisting。　〃What　you　see　here　was　done　before　Amaru　put　a　stop　to　him。〃　But　he　was　damp　with　cold　sweat。　Pitt's　mocking　words　rang　in　his　ears；　〃You've　been　set　up；　pal。〃
　　　　Zolar's　features　slowly　altered。　The　mouth　tightened　and　the　set　of　the　jaw　seemed　to　recede；　the　eyes　became　apprehensive。　〃Nobody　discovers　a　treasure　on　the　magnitude　of　this　one；　leaves　behind　a　ridiculous　message；　and　then　walks　away　from　it。　These　people　have　a　method　to　their　madness；　and　I　for　one　would　like　to　know　their　plan。〃
　　　　〃Any　man　who　stands　in　our　way　before　the　treasure　is　safely　off　the　mountain　will　be　destroyed；〃　Sarason　shouted　at　his　brother。　〃That　is　a　promise。〃
　　　　The　words　came　forcefully；　with　the　ring　of　a　bullet　resistant　threat。　They　all　believed　him。　Except　Micki　Moore。
　　　　She　was　the　only　one　standing　close　enough　to　see　his　lips　quiver。
　　　　Bureaucrats　from　around　the　world　looked　the　same；　Pitt　thought。