cc.goldenbuddha-第33部分

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cted。　〃Mr。　Chairman；〃　she　said；　〃I　think　you　should　see　this。〃　
　Nixon　was　doing　layout　on　Spenser's　new　documents。　Once　he　had　the　basic　package　together；　he　entered　a　mand　and　they　were　sent　through　the　lines　to　the　Oregon；　where　there　was　a　store　of　blank　passports；　immigration　documents　and　blank　credit　cards。　Someone　on　board　would　print　up　the　material　and　deliver　it　to　the　hangar。　
　Cabrillo　stared　at　the　notes　and　handed　them　back　to　Crabtree。　〃Shred　them。〃　
　
　TOM　REYES　WAS　driving　at　breakneck　speed；　with　Franklin　Lincoln　in　the　passenger　seat。　Lincoln　stared　at　the　cab　dispatch　records；　then　out　the　windshield　once　again。　〃There　were　three　cabs　dispatched　to　the　ferry　dock；　numbers　twelve；　one　twenty…one；　and　forty…two。〃　
　〃I've　been　listening　to　the　scanner；〃　Reyes　said。　〃Forty…two　has　already　dropped　its　fare　at　the　Hotel　Lisboa；　and　number　twelve　is　heading　along　the　New　Road。　He　must　be　on　number　one　twenty…one。　He　called　the　dispatcher　to　report　that　he　was　inbound　to　the　Hyatt　Regency　on　Taipa；　then　he　was　supposed　to　wait　for　his　fare　and　take　him　onward。〃　
　Reyes　steered　onto　the　bridge　leading　to　Taipa。　〃Call　Hanley　and　explain　the　situation。〃　
　Lincoln　turned　on　his　radio　and　reported　to　the　control　room。　
　〃Give　me　a　minute　or　so；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃Access　the　Hyatt　puter　and　search　for　this　name；〃　he　said；　handing　Eric　Stone；　an　operator；　the　sheet　of　paper；　〃and　get　me　a　room。〃　
　Stone's　hands　danced　over　the　keyboard；　a　second　later　he　turned　I　to　Hanley。　
　〃What　timing；〃　Stone　said。　〃He's　just　now　checking　in。〃　Stone　waited　until　the　data　filled　the　screen。　〃Room　twenty…two　'　fourteen；〃　he　said。　
　〃Hyatt　Regency；　room　twenty…two　fourteen；〃　Hanley　said　to　Lincoln；　〃and　grab　him　fastif　he　asked　the　cab　to　wait；　he's　headed　for　the　airport　soon。〃　
　〃Got　it；〃　Lincoln　said。　〃Then　what？〃
　〃Bring　him　here。〃　
　Reyes　steered　up　the　driveway　to　the　Hyatt　Regency。　〃Room　number　twenty…two　fourteen；〃　Lincoln　said。　〃We　grab　him　and　bring　him　to　the　Oregon。〃　
　Reyes　stopped　the　car　and　slid　it　into　Park。　〃You　got　any　money？〃　
　〃Sure；　what　for？〃　Lincoln　asked。　
　〃There's　the　cab；〃　Reyes　said；　pointing。　〃Pay　him　off　and　tell　him　'j　to　leave。　Then　meet　me　on　the　twenty…second　floor。〃　
　
　MICHAEL　TALBOT　PAID　the　bellman；　then　closed　the　door。　He　was　due　at　the　airport　any　minute；　but　he　was　grimy　and　decided　on　a　quick　shower。　Undressing；　he　walked　into　the　bathroom　and　adjusted　the　shower。　
　Tom　Reyes　reached　into　his　wallet　and　removed　a　universal　key　card。　Then　he　slid　it　through　the　slot　and　waited　until　the　light　went　green。　Then　he　slowly　opened　the　door。　At　first；　he　thought　no　one　was　in　the　room；　then　he　heard　the　shower　running。　Reyes　started　to　close　the　door　but　heard　the　sound　of　footsteps　approaching　down　the　hall。　He　peered　out　and　saw　Lincoln。　Reyes　touched　his　finger　to　his　lips；　then　motioned　Lincoln　inside。　
　Earplugs　were　slipped　into　his　ears。　He　could　not　hear　Reyes　tell　Lincoln；　〃I'll　go　find　a　room　service　cart。　You　stay　here。〃　
　Lincoln　nodded　and　flipped　on　the　television。　Their　prisoner　was　not　going　anywhere。　He　lay　trussed　like　a　Thanksgiving　turkey；　not　moving　a　muscle。　Eight　minutes　later；　Lincoln　and　Reyes　had　snuck　him　out　a　back　entrance　of　the　hotel；　then　brought　the　car　around　and　slid　him　onto　the　backseat。　
　〃I'm　hungry；〃　Reyes　said　as　he　reached　over　to　place　the　car　in　Drive。　
　〃Man；〃　Lincoln　said；　〃you　always　say　that。〃　
　
　〃BARRETT；〃　HANLEY　SAID；　〃are　you　cross…trained　in　the　Magic　Shop？〃　
　〃I've　worked　it　before；〃　Barrett　said。　〃Go　down　there　and　warm　up　the　latex　machine。〃
　〃You've　got　it；　boss；〃　Barrett　said；　walking　quickly　out　of　the　control　room。　
　
　TALBOT　WAS　TOWELING　himself　off　and　trying　to　decide　what　he　would　wear。　He　stepped　from　the　bathroom　and　into　the　bedroom。　A　large　black　man　was　sitting　at　his　table；　and　the　image　so　surprised　him　that　his　mind　was　unable　to　process　the　discovery　for　a　second。　
　Then；　from　the　side　of　the　door；　he　felt　a　hand　around　his　mouth。　He　was　thrown　facedown　on　the　bed；　his　eyes　pressed　tight　against　the　stainless…steel　screws　on　the　rear　of　the　box　with　an　optometrist's　screwdriver。　〃Go　again。〃　
　〃I　did　not　have　sex　with　that　woman；　Miss　Lewinsky；〃　Barrett　said。　〃Read　my　lips；　no　new　taxes。　Out　of　respect　for　the　family；　I　will　not　answer　that　question；　la　de　dah。〃　
　〃Hold　on；〃　Hanley　said。　
　He　repeated　Barrett's　ramblings　while　staring　at　the　screen。　Barrett　watched　and　raised　an　eyebrow。　His　voice　was　ing　from　Hanley's　mouth。　It　was　both　eerie　and　amazing。　
　〃My　mother　couldn't　tell　the　difference；〃　he　said。　
　〃Modern　technology；〃　Hanley　said；　〃still　astounds　me。〃　
　〃How　are　you　going　to　attach　it？〃　Barrett　asked。　
　Hanley　showed　him。　
　　
　AT　THE　SAME　instant　that　Reyes　and　Lincoln　were　pulling　alongside　the　Oregon　and　parking；　Max　Hanley　was　checking　a　device　in　the　Magic　Shop。　In　the　background；　on　one　of　the　numerous　workbenches；　the　machine　that　heated　liquid　latex　beeped　to　signal　it　was　at　operating　temperature；　then　automatically　went　to　standby。　
　Hanley　turned　and　stared　at　the　latex　machine；　then　diverted　his　eyes　back　to　the　small　box　in　his　hand。　〃Okay；〃　Hanley　said　to　Barrett；　〃let's　try　it　again。〃　
　〃Testing；　one；　two；　three；〃　Barrett　said。　〃The　brown　cow　jumped　over　the　red　moon；　four　score　and　seven　years　ago　our〃
　〃That's　fine；〃　Hanley　said；　cutting　him　off。　
　He　stared　at　the　small　box；　then　placed　it　to　his　throat　and　repeated　what　Barrett　had　said。　Staring　at　a　puter　screen　displaying　a　series　of　bar　graphs；　he　noted　the　discrepancy　and　adjusted　a　series　of　tiny　bedspread。　Next；　he　was　quickly　gagged　and　blindfolded；　with　his　arms　and　legs　secured　with　plastic　ties。　
　
　REYES　GLANCED　AROUND　the　port；　no　one　was　watching。　With　…L。Xiincoln's　help；　he　removed　Talbot　from　the　rear　seat；　then　dragged　him　up　the　gangplank　onto　the　Oregon。　Met　at　the　inner　door　by　Julia　Huxley；　the　trio　was　directed　down　to　the　Magic　Shop。　Talbot；　still　blindfolded；　stumbled　down　the　passages；　into　the　elevator；　then　along　the　last　stretch　of　hallway　until　they　reached　the　Magic　Shop。　Once　Lincoln　opened　the　door；　Reyes　directed　Talbot　to　a　chair；　then　sat　him　down　and　placed　straps　across　his　body。　A　light　was　moved　to　the　front　of　Talbot's　seat；　then　turned　on。　Talbot　could　feel　the　heat　from　the　lamp。　A　few　seconds　later；　his　blindfold　was　removed　and　the　blinding　light　met　his　eyes。　
　〃You　Michael　Talbot？〃　Hanley　asked。　
　〃Yes；〃　Talbot　said；　turning　from　the　light。　
　〃Eyes　forward；〃　Hanley　said。　
　Talbot　plied；　but　he　had　a　hard　time　looking　into　the　light。　He　could　sense　someone　was　behind　him；　but　the　straps　were　too　tight　to　turn。　
　〃Did　you　have　sex　with　a　teenage　boy　in　Indonesia？〃　
　〃Who　are　you　people？〃　Talbot　said。　
　A　second　later；　he　felt　a　touch　on　his　neck；　then　a　surge　of　electricity　hit　his　body。　
　〃We　ask　the　questions　here；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Did　you　have　sex　with　a　teenage　boy？〃　
　〃He　told　me　he　was　eighteen；〃　Talbot　said　through　gritted　teeth。　〃We're　tired　of　slime　like　you　ing　over　to　Asia　to　partake　of　your　sick　desires；〃　Hanley　said。　〃It's　giving　America　a　bad　name。〃
　〃I'm　here　on　busi〃　Talbot　started　to　say。　The　sharp　bite　of　electricity。　〃Silence；〃　Hanley　snapped。　
　Talbot　was　afraid；　the　kind　of　deep…down　fear　of　the　unknown　and　unseen　that　creeps　into　a　man's　soul　and　plays　with　his　nerves　and　internal　organs。　Talbot　began　sweating　from　his　forehead　and　the　need　to　urinate　was　overpowering。　〃I　have　to　pee；〃　he　said。　
　〃When　we　say　you　can；〃　Hanley　said。　〃First　we　are　going　to　make　a　mold　of　your　head。　Then　we　will　produce　a　three…dimensional　image　of　it；　which　we　will　transmit　over　our　puter　network。　From　here　on　out；　the　Asian　police　organizations　will　be　on　the　lookout　for　you。　Then　you　are　going　to　read　a　confession　aloud。　If　you　cooperate　and　perform　these　tasks；　you　will　be　taken　to　Hong　Kong　so　that　you　can　catch　the　first　flight　to　the　United　States。　Screw　with　us　in　any　way　and　you　will　be　washing　up　on　the　beaches　of　mainland　China　a　few　days　from　now。　What'll　it　be；　lover　boy？〃　
　〃Okay；　okay；〃　Talbot　blurted。　〃But　I'm　about　to　pee　my　pants。〃　
　〃Take　him　to　the　facilities；〃　Hanley　said。　
　Blindfolded　once　again；　Talbot　was　led　to　a　restroom　and　his　hands　untied。　
　Four　minutes　later；　he　was　back　in　his　seat　and　strapped　in　place　Fifteen　minutes　after　that；　the　mask　was　formed　and　the　voice　prin　recorded。　A　few　minutes　later；　Michael　Talbot　was　placed　facedown　on　the　rear　seat　of　the　sedan　again　and　was　driven　toward　the　ferry　dock。　
　
　WINSTON　SPENSER　WAS　trying　to　figure　an　angle。　There　was　none。　He　had　grabbed　for　the　brass　ring　and　e　up　short。　His　choice　now　was　to　live　or　to　die；　and　the　people　that　were　controlling　him　had　made　a　pelling　argument。　He'd　walk　out　with　a　new　identity　and　a　million　in　funding。　He　decided　this　was　a　deal　he　would　honor。　
　Spenser　stared　at　his　new　passport　and　documents；　then　watched　the　lady　in　the　group　talking　on　the　cellular　telephone。　She　disconnected　and　turned　to　the　leader。　
　〃The　president　is　on　his　way；　Mr。　Chairman；〃　she　said。　〃He's　taken　care　of　the　problem。〃　
　Spenser　had　no　idea　of　the　identities　or　affiliation　of　the　people　who　had　taken　him　hostage。　He　only　knew　from　what　he　had　witnessed　so　far　that　they　had　a　power　that　went　far　beyond　anything　he　had　ever　seen。　They　seemed　to　exist　in　a　world　of　their　own　creation；　a　world　of　control　and　illusion；　and　whatever　Spenser　may　have　planned；　they　had　always　been　one　step　ahead。　And　then　it　hit　him。　
　〃You　were　at　the　auction　in　Geneva；〃　he　said　to　the　leader。　
　Cabrillo　stared　at　Spenser；　as　if　trying　to　decide。　〃Yes；　I　was。〃　
　〃How　did　you　know　I'd　switched　the　Buddhas？〃　
　〃You　paid　our　pany　to　fly　the　icon　here　to　Macau；　then　take　it　by　armored　car　to　the　temple；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃So　you　staged　the　entire　affair　at　the　party　as　a　ruse？〃　
　〃That；　and　we　wanted　to　fulfill　your　deal　with　the　man　outside；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Unreal；〃　Spenser　said。　〃And　the　one　hundred　million？〃　
　〃It　will　go　to　charity；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃We　were　hired　to　bring　the　real　Buddha　back　to　its　rightful　ownerthis　side　deal　is　just　frosting　on　the　cake。〃　
　Spenser　thought　for　a　moment。　〃What　is　you