cc.goldenbuddha-第14部分

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　The　Dalai　Lama's　smile　became　a　grin。　〃I　must　say　that　is　very　unexpected　news。　Now　I　can　see　why　you　have　flown　halfway　around　the　world　with　me。〃　
　Overholt　smiled　and　nodded。　〃So　you　think　the　Chinese　will　accept　the　icon　as　payment　when　bined　with　the　threat　of　war？〃　
　The　Dalai　Lama　shook　his　head。　〃No；　my　CIA　friend；　I　do　not。　The　true　secret　of　the　Golden　Buddha　is　inside　。　。　。　a　secret　the　Chinese　would　pay　dearly　for。〃　
　
　EXITING　THE　BRIDGE；　Truitt　steered　the　van　through　the　clover…。？　leaf。　The　thousand…room　Hotel　Lisboa　and　casino　was　to　the　right　f　as　they　drove　west　on　Avenida　Dr。　Mario　Soares。　To　the　right；　the　Bank　of　China　soared　into　the　air；　a　pink　granite…and…glass　structure　whose　top　levels　allowed　the　occupants　a　view　across　the　border　into　China。　〃For　anticapitalists；　they　build　a　nice　bank；〃　Meadows　said　quietly。　No　one　replied；　they　were　enamored　with　the　scenery。　Central　Macau　was　a　strange　mishmash　of　new　and　old；　European　and　Asian；　traditional　and　modern。　Truitt　reached　Rua　da　Praia　Grande　and　turned　left。　
　〃From　what　I'm　told；　this　used　to　be　a　beautiful　drive；〃　Truitt　said；　〃until　construction　started　on　the　Nam　Van　Lakes　Reclamation　Project。〃　
　The　road　was　clogged　with　construction　trucks；　cement　mixers　and　piles　of　materials。　
　Driving　farther；　the　road　became　Avenida　da　Republica　and　skirted　Nam　Van　Lake。　
　〃That's　the　governor's　residence；〃　Truitt　said；　pointing　up　the　hill。　〃I'm　taking　us　the　long　way　around　the　tip　of　the　peninsula　so　you　can　see　the　geography。　The　hill　north　of　the　governor's　residence　is　named　Penha。　This　one　on　the　end　is　Barra　Hill。　Our　target　is　between　the　two；　on　a　street　named　Estrada　da　Penha。〃　
　Angling　left　on　the　road；　they　climbed　a　rise　until　the　van　reached　Estrada　de　D。　Joao　Paulino。　Turning　a　quick　right；　they　drove　a　few　yards　and　made　another　sharp　right　onto　Estrada　da　Penha；　which　formed　a　wavy　U　shape　around　the　top　of　the　hill　until　it　met　back　up　with　Joao　Paulino。　
　The　van　passed　the　bottom　of　the　U　and　was　halfway　up　the　side　when　Truitt　slowed。　〃Thar　she　blows。〃　
　〃She〃　was　a　mansion；　an　old　elegant　structure　worthy　of　a　landed　family。　A　tall　stone　wall　encircled　the　grounds；　broken　only　by　a　wrought…iron　gate　and　the　creeping　growth　of　ivy。　Giant；　perfectly　placed　trees；　planted　generations　past；　studded　the　expanse　of　emerald　grass。　As　the　van　rolled　past；　a　croquet　field　was　visible　off　to　the　side。　Farther　to　the　right；　down　a　cobblestone　driveway；　was　a　two…story　garage　building；　where　a　handyman　was　soaping　down　a　Mercedes…Benz　limousine。　
　The　mansion　looked　like　a　wealthy　nineteenth…century　shipowner　could　live　there　now；　the　only　promise　for　the　times　was　the　series　of　security　cameras　atop　the　stone　wall　fronting　the　street。　
　〃There　are　six　cameras　strategically　located　around　the　grounds。〃　The　van　was　approaching　the　junction　with　Joao　Paulino；　and　Truitt　slowed　before　menting。　
　〃That　would　plicate　things；〃　Truitt　said；　as　he　slowed　for　the　stop　sign；　〃except　for　one　thing　I　failed　to　mention。〃　　〃What's　that？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Our　target　is　throwing　a　huge　party；〃　Truitt　said　as　he　steered　the　van　left；　〃and　we're　booked　as　the　entertainment。〃　
　Truitt　took　the　scenic　way　back；　past　the　temple　and　along　the　waterfront。　
　
　〃WELL？〃　THE　SOFTWARE　billionaire　asked　pointedly。　；　；　
　One　thousand　dollars　to　the　Stanford　scientist　had　pro　cured　his　services；　a　call　to　the　president　of　the　university　reminding　him　of　past　donations　had　opened　up　the　full　use　of　the　laboratory。　
　〃The　date　shows　thirteenth　century；　but　for　me　to　give　you　a　more　accurate　estimate　of　the　area　from　which　it　was　mined；　I'll　have　to　melt　half　of　your　sample。〃　
　〃Well？　What　are　you　waiting　for？〃　
　〃It's　going　to　take　me　thirty　or　forty…five　minutes；〃　the　scientist　said；　already　growing　weary　of　the　billionaire's　rude　manner。　〃Why　don't　you　head　to　the　cafeteria　and　grab　something　to　drink？〃
　〃Do　they　have　Chai　tea？〃　the　billionaire　said。　〃No；〃　the　scientist　said　wearily；　〃but　there's　a　Starbucks　on　the　mons　that　does。〃　
　After　giving　him　directions　to　the　Starbucks；　he　waited　until　the　man　walked　out　and　closed　the　door　to　the　laboratory。　〃Idiot；〃　the　scientist　said。　
　Then　he　walked　over　to　a　small　kiln　and　slid　the　metal　plate　holding　the　shaving　of　gold　inside。　After　it　melted；　he　placed　the　sample　inside　a　puter…powered　sampler　that　would　give　a　breakdown　of　the　percentages　of　the　other　metals　present。　By　paring　the　ratios　with　known　ores　already　mined；　the　scientist　could　determine　the　general　area　where　the　gold　had　been　mined。　
　As　he　waited　for　the　machine　to　perform　its　magic；　the　scientist　read　a　skiing　magazine。　Twenty　minutes　later；　the　machine　stopped。　
　
　THE　PRESIDENT　OF　the　United　States　was　sitting　in　an　Adirondack　1　chair　behind　the　main　house　at　Camp　David；　Maryland。　The　pres…1　ident　of　Russia　sat　across　from　him；　a　wooden　table　separating　the　two。　
　Though　not　visible；　2　billion　in　foreign　aid　was　on　the　table。　
　〃How　does　it　sound；　Vlad？〃　the　president　asked。　
　〃You　know　I've　never　been　a　big　fan　of　the　Chinese；〃　the　Russian　president　said；　〃but　the　foreign　aid　is　only　a　bandage。　My　country's　factories　need　orders　for　our　economy　to　mend　itself。〃　
　The　president　nodded。　〃The　biggest…ticket　items　in　my　budget　are　always　the　military　planes　and　ships。　The　Taiwanese　have　got　a　shopping　list　a　mile　long。　What　if　I　could　steer　some　of　that　business　your　way？〃　
　The　Russian　president　smiled。　〃You　are　a　crafty　one；〃　he　said。　〃You've　managed　to　give　me　what　my　country　needs　while　at　the　same　time　pitting　us　against　the　Chinese；　who　as　you　well　know　make　an　enemy　of　anyone　who　befriends　Taiwan。〃　
　The　president　rose　from　the　chair　and　stretched。　〃Now；　Vlad；〃　he　said；　〃isn't　that　the　nucleus　of　negotiationto　give　both　sides　what　they　want？〃　
　〃I　think；〃　the　Russian　president　said；　rising；　〃we　may　just　have　a　deal。〃　
　〃Good；　then；〃　the　president　said；　motioning　toward　the　dining　hall。　〃What　do　you　say　we　go　see　what　kind　of　pie　the　chef　has　in　the　oven？〃　
　〃THE　GOLD　WAS　mined　somewhere　in　the　area　of　Burma；〃　the　…A。　scientist　said　when　the　billionaire　returned；　clutching　a　paper　cup　of　tea。　
　〃Can　you　be　more　specific？〃　
　〃South　of　the　twenty…degrees　latitude　line；　which　means　southern　Vietnam；　Laos；　Thailand　or　Burma。　I　can　try　to　pin　it　down　more；　but　it　will　take　time。〃　
　The　billionaire　sipped　the　tea；　then　shook　his　head　back　and　forth。　〃Don't　bother；　you　said　the　magic　word。〃　
　The　billionaire　started　toward　the　door　while　at　the　same　time　removing　a　cellular　telephone　from　his　belt。　〃Bring　the　car　around；〃　he　said　to　the　driver。　Then　he　disconnected　and　reached　for　the　door。　
　〃Do　you　want　your　gold　back？〃　the　scientist　shouted　across　the　laboratory。　
　〃Keep　it；〃　the　billionaire　shouted。　〃I've　got　a　lot　more　where　that　came　from。〃　
　〃You're　most　generous；〃　the　scientist　muttered　as　he　scraped　the　sample　from　the　now…cool　plate　and　slid　it　into　the　envelope　with　the　other。　
　Carrying　the　envelope　over　to　his　desk；　he　tossed　it　into　the　top　drawer。　Then　he　walked　to　the　door；　shut　off　the　lights；　and　locked　the　door　to　the　laboratory　behind　him。　A　few　minutes　later；　he　was　tooling　across　campus　on　his　moped；　still　shaking　his　head　at　the　strange　encounter。　
　Hanley　said。　〃I'll　break　out　a　repeater　we　can　place　on　Barra　Hill　so　we're　not　using　local　channels。〃　
　〃Better　place　a　beacon　up　there；　too；〃　Nixon　said；　glancing　at　the　clipboard。　〃Murphy　wants　a　fixed　targeting　point　if　he　needs　to　loose　a　missile。〃　
　〃Murphy；〃　Hanley　said；　shaking　his　head；　〃he'd　drive　a　thumbtack　with　a　sledgehammer。〃　
　Nixon　turned　on　an　exhaust　vent；　then　slid　his　leg　over　the　motorcycle　and　poked　the　kick　starter。　The　machine　roared　to　life　and　settled　into　an　idle。　Shutting　it　off；　he　moved　toward　the　second　motorcycle　and　repeated　the　process。　The　hours　passed　as　the　pair　of　men　checked　then　double…checked　the　equipment。　
　　
　INSIDE　A　STORAGE　hold　on　the　lower　level　of　the　Oregon；　Hanley　was　standing　with　Kevin　Nixon；　staring　at　a　collection　of　wheeled　conveyances。　
　〃For　certain；　we　should　have　a　couple　of　the　motorcycles　and　at　j　least　one　of　the　all…terrain　vehicles　prepared；〃　Hanley　said。　
　Nixon　nodded；　then　walked　over　to　one　of　the　motorcycles。　Since　the　last　time　it　had　been　used；　it　had　been　cleaned　and　oiled。　All　the　tools　used　by　the　Corporation　were　kept　in　a　constant　state　of　readiJ　nessit　was　one　of　the　easiest　ways　to　ensure　success。　
　〃I'll　go　ahead　and　test　run　everything；〃　Nixon　said。　〃Want　me　to　fabricate　Macau　license　plates　for　each？〃　
　〃Sounds　good；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Just　standard　tags；　nothing　diplomatic。〃　
　Nixon　stared　at　the　clipboard　with　the　sheet　of　paper　Cabrillo　had　prepared　earlier。　〃Looks　like　Ross　wants　earpiece　munications　for　the　ground　operators；　with　a　secondary　channel　to　reach　the　ship。〃　
　〃Make　sure　the　batteries　are　charged；　and　check　everything　out；〃　
　
　AT　THE　SAME　instant；　closer　to　the　stern；　Mark　Murphy　was　in　the　armory。　The　room　had　a　bench　containing　reloading　equipment　and　rows　of　drawers　containing　ammunition；　charges；　timers　and　fuses。　Along　the　walls　were　a　series　of　recessed　cases　that　housed　automatic　weapons；　rifles　and　handguns。　The　room　smelled　of　gunpowder；　metal　and　oil。　
　Parts　of　a　U。S。　Army　M…16　sat　atop　a　piece　of　cloth　on　the　bench。　Murphy　pushed　the　button　on　a　digital　timer；　then　reached　for　the　stock　and　began　to　assemble　the　weapon。　A　minute　later；　he　pushed　the　timer　again；　then　raised　his　hands　in　the　air。　One　minute　and　four　secondshe　was　slow　today。　Walking　over　to　an　ammunition　drawer；　he　began　to　remove　banana　clips　and　load　them　with　different　types　of　ordnance。　
　〃God；　I　love　my　job；〃　he　said　aloud。　
　THE　VAN　WAS　entering　the　bridge　leading　from　Macau　to　Taipa。　〃The　Minutemen；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Where　did　you　e　up　with　that　name？〃　
　〃It　could　be　construed　as　an　homage　to　Paul　Revere　and　the　revolutionary　way；〃　Truitt　said；　laughing。　
　〃Wouldn't　that　be　Paul　Revere　and　The　Raiders？〃　Jones　said。　
　〃But　in　fact；〃　Truitt　continued；　〃it's　the　name　of　the　band　that　was　already　hired。〃　
　〃Won't　it　be　crowded　when　two　bands　show　up？〃　Ross　asked。　
　〃It　would　be；　but　the　real　Minuteme