cc.goldenbuddha-第31部分

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　〃I　saw　the　smoke；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃No　injuries？〃　
　〃None；〃　Hanley　said。　〃So　far　so　good。　They　are　initiating　the　extraction。〃　
　〃What　about　the　others？〃　
　〃Most　everyone　staying　in　town　has　reported　in；〃　Hanley　said。　〃King　made　it　back　to　the　boat　and　is　going　to　direct　offensive　actions　until　Murphy　returns。〃　
　〃Target　three？〃　
　〃The　737　landed　a　few　moments　ago；〃　Hanley　reported。　〃They　should　be　going　through　customs　as　we　speak。〃　
　〃Our　man　is　still　with　them？〃　
　〃Awaiting　instructions。〃　
　〃What　else？〃　
　〃The　second　leg　of　the　journey　is　almost　ready　to　activate；〃　Hanley　said。　〃The　way　it　looks　so　far；　we　can　deliver　the　package　on　time。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃We're　almost　at　the　airport。〃　
　Hanley　stared　at　the　flashing　blip　on　one　of　the　monitors。　〃I've　gol　you　made；　Juan。〃　
　〃Now　all　I　have　to　do　is　collect　on　our　side　deal；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃and　we　can　be　on　our　way。〃　
　
　MEADOWS；　JONES　AND　Hornsby　looked　like　three　tourists　on　an　Arizona　mine　tour。　
　They　were　wearing　silver　hard　hats　made　from　pressed　metal；　with　small　battery…operated　lamps　that　spewed　beams　of　light　from　the　front。　Hornsby　was　holding　a　blueprint　that　showed　the　underground　drainage　systems。　The　map　looked　like　the　tentacles　of　an　octopus。　Jones　stared　overhead　as　the　first　drops　of　water　from　the　rain　above　filtered　down　through　an　aged　tile　drainpipe　in　the　wall。　
　〃Did　the　operations　plans　factor　in　possible　rain？〃　he　asked。　
　〃As　long　as　there　isn't　a　prolonged　shower；〃　Hornsby　noted；　〃we　should　be　okay。〃　
　〃What　if　there　is？〃　Jones　asked。　
　〃That's　not　good；〃　Hornsby　admitted。　
　〃So　we　should　get　moving；〃　Meadows　said。　
　〃Exactly；〃　Hornsby　said。　〃But　let's　not　worry　too　muchthe　plan　states　we　can　have　six　hours　or　so　of　continuous　rain　before　the　drains　reach　chest…high　level。〃　
　〃We　can　be　out　of　here　by　then；〃　Jones　said。　
　〃That's　the　plan；〃　Hornsby　agreed。　
　The　Golden　Buddha　was　resting　on　the　wooden　ramp。　When　Hornsby　had　entered　the　storm　drain　through　a　side　tunnel　earlier　that　evening；　he　had　brought　along　a　bag　that　contained　four　rubber…tired　wheels　that　attached　to　the　ramp。　It　was　a　crude　arrangement；　but　it　would　allow　the　three　men　to　wheel　the　heavy　object　along　the　tunnels。　A　pair　of　olive　drab　ditty　bags　was　atop　the　crate　containing　the　Golden　Buddha；　these　contained　emergency　supplies　and　weapons。　The　entire　affair　stood　at　nearly　chest　height。　
　〃Here's　where　I　came　in；〃　Hornsby　said。　〃It's　a　shame　we　can't　leave　the　same　wayit's　only　about　two　hundred　yards　to　the　grate。　
　The　problem　is；　when　we　emerge；　we're　right　in　the　middle　of　town　and　the　police　should　be　everywhere　by　now。〃　
　Meadows　looked　to　where　Hornsby's　finger　was　pointing。　〃So　which　way　did　the　control　room　route　us？〃　Hornsby　traced　the　route　with　his　finger。　〃That's　a　long　way；〃　Jones　noted。　
　〃A　couple　of　miles；〃　Hornsby　agreed。　〃But　we　e　out　in　a　secluded　spot　alongside　the　Inner　Port；　where　we　can　be　extracted。〃　
　Meadows　wiped　the　edge　of　his　hard　hat　to　dispel　a　few　drops　of　water；　then　walked　around　behind　the　Golden　Buddha。　〃You've　got　the　map；　Horn　Dog；〃　he　said。　〃Why　don't　you　pull　the　front　strap　and　navigate。　Me　and　Jonesy　will　push　from　the　rear。〃　
　Slowly；　the　three　men　began　trudging　along　the　storm　sewer。　Outside；　the　rain　grew　in　intensity。　Within　the　hour；　it　was　a　full…fledged　monsoon。　
　
　LINDA　ROSS　WALKED　into　the　Oregon's　control　room。　Max　Hanley　was　pouring　a　cup　of　coffee　from　a　pot　on　a　side　table。　His　face　was　lined　with　tension　and　Ross　could　see　he　was　stressed。　
　〃Reinholt's　rebounding；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃It　looked　worse　than　it　was。　If　we　keep　any　infections　at　bay；　he　should　pull　through。〃　
　〃Will　there　be　any　lasting　damage？〃　Hanley　asked　as　he　motioned　to　the　coffee　and　Ross　walked　over　and　poured　a　cup。　
　〃The　top　of　his　ear　is　gone；〃　Ross　said。　〃He'll　need　plastic　surgery　to　make　that　right。〃　
　〃How's　his　attitude？〃　
　〃He　came　out　of　the　stupor　once　and　asked　where　he　was；〃　Ross　said。　〃When　I　told　him　he　was　on　the　Oregon；　he　seemed　happy。〃
　〃Propulsion　engineers　always　seem　more　fortable　on　board　ship；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃How's　the　rest　of　the　operation　going？〃　Ross　asked。　
　〃The　actual　Golden　Buddha　is　currently　in　an　underground　storm　sewer；〃　Hanley　said；　pointing　to　a　monitor。　〃That　team　is　making　its　way　to　the　waterfront。〃　
　〃I　thought　the　Buddha　was　lifted　out　by　helicopter；〃　Ross　said。　
　〃That　was　the　fake；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃But。　。　。；〃　Ross　started　to　say。　
　〃It　was　on　a　need…to…know　basis；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Remember　when　the　chairman　arrived　by　seaplane？〃　
　〃Sure；〃　Ross　said。　〃When　we　were　under　way　at　sea。〃　
　〃He　had　just　returned　from　the　art　auction　where　the　icon　was　sold。　The　Corporation　jumped　in　thenwe　arranged　the　shipment　to　Macau。　Gunderson　was　the　pilot。　Then　a　couple　of　our　men　met　the　plane　with　an　armored　carwe　thought　we'd　just　grab　it　then。　The　art　dealer　had　other　plans；　however。　He　was　planning　to　screw　the　owner　with　a　fake；　so　we　just　went　along　with　his　plan；　knowing　all　the　while　where　the　true　artifact　was　hiding。〃　
　〃So　all　the　efforts　at　the　party　were　a　facade？〃　
　〃It　was　designed　to　throw　off　the　authorities　and　confuse　the　picture；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Meanwhile；　if　all　goes　well；　Cabrillo　will　plete　the　art　dealer's　sale　and　the　Corporation　will　pocket　the　proceeds。〃　
　〃So　Reinholt　was　shot　for　no　reason；〃　Ross　said。　
　〃There　were　a　hundred　million　reasons　Reinholt　was　wounded；〃　Hanley　said。　〃A　hundred　million　and　one；　if　you　count　the　fact　that　we　confused　the　Macau　police　and　made　the　art　dealer　the　prime　suspect。〃　
　〃So　the　art　dealer　is　the　patsy；〃　Ross　said。　
　〃He's　our　Oswald；〃　Hanley　agreed。　
　〃Diabolical；〃　said　Ross。　
　〃It's　not　over　yet；〃　Hanley　said　quietly。　〃We　still　need　the　payoff。　And　to　get　out　of　here。〃　
　
　IN　BEIJING；　THE　foreign　secretary；　the　head　of　the　Chinese　army　and　President　Hu　Jintao　were　staring　at　satellite　photographs。　
　〃As　of　yesterday；〃　the　foreign　secretary　said；　〃Novosibirsk　in　Siberia　is　the　busiest　airport　in　the　world。　The　Russians　are　ferrying　in　military　1　supplies　at　an　alarming　rate。　Cargo　planes　are　landing　at　the　rate　of　one　every　few　minutes。〃　
　Hu　Jintao　was　examining　a　photograph　with　a　magnifying　glass。　〃Tanks；　personnel　carriers；　attack　helicopters　are　already　on　the　ground。〃　
　The　head　of　the　Chinese　army　handed　Jintao　a　photograph。　〃The　amount　of　supplies　already　on　the　ground　can　support　nearly　forty　thousand　ground　troops；　and　more　is　arriving　every　minute。〃　
　〃I've　already　contacted　Legchog　Zhuren　in　Tibet；〃　Jintao　said。　〃He's　mobilized　his　forces　and　they　are　starting　toward　the　northern　border。〃　
　〃How　many　men　are　under　his　control？〃　the　foreign　secretary　asked。　
　〃He　has　twenty　thousand　bat　and　support　troops　in　Tibet；〃　the　head　of　the　Chinese　army　answered。　
　〃Then　it's　already　two　to　one；〃　the　foreign　secretary　noted。　
　Jintao　pushed　the　photographs　aside。　〃To　maintain　control　inside　Tibet；　we　have　sponsored　mass　immigration　from　the　other　regions　of　China　over　the　years。　Zhuren　has　mobilized　the　Chinese　citizens　in　Tibet　and　drafted　them　into　the　army。　That　gives　us　nearly　twenty　thousand　more　that　are　of　the　right　age　to　serve。　Some　have　already　left　Lhasa　for　the　march　northwe　are　trying　to　train　them　as　they　travel。〃
　〃The　Russians　have　crack　troops；〃　the　head　of　the　Chinese　army　said。　〃Our　recently　recruited　farmers　and　shopkeepers　will　be　wiped　out。〃　
　〃That's　if　the　Russians　cross　the　border；〃　the　foreign　secretary　noted。　〃They　are　still　claiming　through　diplomatic　channels　that　this　is　just　an　exercise。〃　
　〃That's　a　damn　big　exercise；〃　Jintao　said　quietly。　
　He　sat　back　in　his　chair　to　think。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　was　to　face　off　with　the　Russiansbut　he　could　not　back　down　from　the　threat；　either。　
　
　THE　BOEING　737　was　still　undergoing　customs　inspection　when　Cabrillo　and　the　others　arrived　at　their　rented　hangar。　Spenser　had　started　to　e　out　of　his　stupor　a　few　minutes　before。　Adams　opened　the　rear　door　of　the　white　SUV；　then　waved　smelling　salts　under　his　nose。　Spenser　shook　his　head　several　times；　then　cracked　open　his　eyes。　Adams　helped　him　to　his　feet　just　outside　the　door　of　the　Chevrolet。　Spenser　stood　on　the　floor　of　the　hangar　on　wobbly　legs　and　tried　to　remember　what　had　happened。　
　〃e　here；〃　Adams　said；　leading　him　over　to　a　chair　alongside　a　Workbench　and　seating　him。　
　With　the　help　of　Kevin　Nixon；　Cabrillo　was　erecting　the　folding　ramp　to　unload　the　fake　speaker　case　holding　the　faux　Buddha。　Nixon　had　arrived　at　the　hangar　several　hours　earlier　and　had　been　busy　ever　since。　

　〃Is　everything　ready？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Nixon　said　as　he　grabbed　one　side　of　the　speaker　case。　
　The　two　men　rolled　the　case　onto　the　wheeled　metal　conveyor。　When　it　reached　the　end；　they　tilted　the　case　upright；　folded　the　legs　of　the　ramp　under；　then　bent　it　in　half　on　the　hinges　and　slid　it　back　into　the　SUV。　
　〃We　have　the　clothes？〃　Cabrillo　inquired。　
　〃I　stopped　at　his　hotel　room　on　the　way　over。　His　bags　were　already　packed；〃　Nixon　said。　
　〃The　best…laid　plans；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃of　mice　and　men。〃　Cabrillo；　followed　by　Nixon；　walked　over　to　where　Spenser　was　　sitting。　
　The　art　dealer　stared　up　at　Cabrillo。　〃You　look　familiar；〃　he　said　slowly。　
　〃We've　never　met；〃　Cabrillo　said　coldly；　〃but　I　know　a　lot　about　　you。〃　
　〃Who　are　you　people？〃　Spenser　said；　shaking　his　head　to　clear　the　fog；　〃and　what　do　you　want　from　me？〃　
　Adams　was　standing　a　few　feet　from　Spenser。　While　his　rugged　good　looks　did　not　make　him　appear　menacing；　Spenser　was　sure　that　if　he　tried　to　stand；　he　wouldn't　get　far。　Cabrillo　walked　right　in　front　of　the　art　dealer　and　invaded　his　space。　He　stared　into　Spenser's　eyes　and　spoke　quietly。　
　〃Right　about　now；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃you're　not　in　a　good　position；　so　shut　up　and　listen。　A　few　miles　from　here；　you　have　one　infuriated　Asian　billionaire　who　is　convinced　you　bilked　him　out　of　a　couple　of　hundred　million　dollars。　And　contrary　to　what　you　might　think；　he　is　not　a　nice　manhe　launched　his　fortune　by　running　drugs　for　an　Asian　triad；　and　though　he's　legitimized　his　actions；　he's　still　connected。　I　would　guess　he's　already　made　a　call；　and　the　entire　crim