cc.goldenbuddha-第49部分

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rily　weightless　from　the　g　forces。　The　crate　floated　in　the　air　for　a　second。　
　〃Rolling　flat；〃　Gunderson　shouted。　
　Pilston　and　Michaels　moved　away　from　the　door；　and　the　cable　tightened　and　reeled　the　Golden　Buddha　aboard　as　easily　as　a　book　sliding　into　a　bookcase。　The　crate　slammed　against　the　far　inner　wall　of　the　fuselage　and　stopped。　The　crate　was　cracked；　but　not　much。　Pilston　turned　the　winch　motor　off。　
　Gunderson　stared　back；　quite　happy　with　the　results。　He　reached　for　the　radio。　
　〃Mr。　Hanley；〃　he　said。　〃I　scratched　your　box　a　little；　but　the　cargo　is　safe　and　sound。〃　
　Hanley　pushed　the　button　on　his　portable　radio　as　Gunderson　began　to　climb　and　bank　around。　〃Hell　of　a　job；　Tiny。　There's　a　different　hook　attached　to　the　box。　Attach　that　to　the　cable　before　you　pull　the　chairman　aboard。〃　
　〃Roger　that；〃　Gunderson　said。　
　Then　he　shouted　back　to　Michaels　to　attach　the　other　hook　to　the　end　of　the　line。　By　the　time　Gunderson　had　passed　over　the　top　of　the　Oregon　again　and　was　starting　his　turn　to　line　up；　the　hook　was　attached　and　Pilston　started　to　reel　out　the　cable　once　again。　Gunderson　adjusted　his　flight　controls；　they　set　the　speed　of　the　Antonov　to　right　at　stall。　
　〃Once　I　hook　the　boss　man；〃　Gunderson　shouted；　〃you　reel　him　in　as　fast　as　possible。　When　he's　next　to　the　door；　reach　out　and　pull　him　inside。〃　
　〃Got　it；〃　Pilston　shouted。　
　〃Here　I　e；　boss；〃　Gunderson　said　into　the　radio；　〃ready　or　not。〃　
　Cabrillo　had　moved　onto　the　rear　deck　and　Nixon　inflated　the　balloon。　It　shot　in　the　air　when　the　Antonov　was　only　a　hundred　yards　off　the　bow。　
　〃Clear　the　decks；〃　Nixon　shouted　as　he　sprinted　away。　
　Juan　Cabrillo　stood　quietly。　There　was　really　no　way　to　prepare　for　what　was　about　to　happen。　In　a　few　seconds；　he　would　be　yanked　from　the　safety　of　the　Oregon　and　into　the　air　over　the　ocean。　From　the　known　to　the　unknown　in　a　split　second。　So　Cabrillo　simply　cleared　his　mind　and　waited；　
　Gunderson　chewed　his　gum；　watched　the　line　carefully；　and　then　put　the　three…pronged　hook　directly　into　the　center　of　the　Y　once　again。　Bam！　One　second　Cabrillo's　feet　were　on　the　deck；　the　next　second　he　was　yanked　into　the　air。　He　moved　his　feet　back　and　forth　like　he　was　trying　to　run。　The　wind　crept　past　the　goggles　he　was　wearing　and　his　eyes　began　to　weep　as　the　Antonov　grew　larger。　Cabrillo　could　see　hands　reaching　out　of　the　door　as　he　rose；　closer　to　safety。　He　tilted　his　head　back　and　looked。　Every　few　seconds　the　cable　was　bumping　against　the　rear　stabilizer　and　he　prepared　to　push　himself　off　as　he　grew　closer。　
　〃He's　going　to　hit　the　tail；〃　Pilston　shouted　to　Gunderson。　
　Cabrillo　put　his　feet　in　the　air　to　push　against　the　stabilizer。　He　was　only　a　few　feet　away　when　Gunderson　pulled　back　on　the　controls　and　pitched　the　nose　of　the　Antonov　up。　Cabrillo；　hanging　from　the　cable　like　a　pendulum；　dropped　a　few　feet　and　slid　past　the　tail。　A　few　seconds　later　he　was　next　to　the　door；　Michaels　and　Pilston　grabbed　his　arms　and　pulled　him　inside。　
　Gunderson　started　the　Antonov　climbing；　then　glanced　back　into　the　cargo　area。　
　〃Hey；　boss；〃　he　yelled；　〃how　was　the　ride？〃　
　
　MICHAEL　HALPERT　FLICKED　on　the　puter　in　the　Oregon's　library。　Working　the　party　in　Macau　had　been　excitingthe　element　of　danger　involved　in　operations　ensured　that。　Even　so；　Hal…pert's　forte　was　the　arcane　accounting　and　banking　network　he　had　constructed　for　the　Corporation's　activities。　In　that；　Halpert　was　a　master。　The　twisted　matrix　of　corporate　law　and　structure　was　exciting　to　himhe　loved　to　hide　the　Corporation's　assets　like　a　penny　under　a　glacier；　and　shield　its　ownership　in　panies　through　plex　structures　that　would　take　teams　of　accountants　years　to　unravel。　
　Today　he　would　need　to　use　all　his　skills。　
　Halpert　was　building　what　he　liked　to　call　a　skeleton。　A　skeleton　was　a　series　of　corporations　forming　the　bones　to　support　the　skull　that　held　the　nerve　center　of　an　operation。　Each　would　need　to　be　structured；　funded　and　interlinked　until　the　actual　source　of　ownership　and　control　was　as　cloudy　as　a　London　morning。　
　
　He　scanned　a　database　of　available　existing　panies。　First　would　e　the　skull　itselfthe　eventual　owner　of　the　assets　that　would　soon　be　created。　For　that　he　chose　a　corporation　based　in　the　tiny　country　of　Andorra。　The　pany；　Cataluna　Esteme；　had　been　founded　in　1972　with　the　purpose　of　mining　and　trading　of　lead。　
　Andorra；　all　181　square　miles　of　territory；　is　perched　in　the　Pyrenees　Mountains；　with　Spain　to　the　south　and　France　to　the　north。　The　population　of　Andorra　is　some　sixty…five　thousand　people；　and　the　primary　industry　is　tourism；　with　an　emphasis　on　snow　skiing。　The　country　had　been　in　existence　since　1278　and　was　modern　and　progressive；　plus　Halpert　had　never　used　it　before。　
　Cataluna　Esteme　itself　had　been　active　in　the　lead　business　until　1998；　when　the　aging　owner　had　been　felled　by　heart　trouble　while　on　a　visit　to　Paris。　Over　the　next　year　or　so；　the　assets　of　the　corporation　had　been　distributed　to　the　owner's　heirs；　and　the　pany　itself　had　gone　dormant。　Cataluna　Esteme　existed　in　the　desk　drawer　of　a　lawyer　in　Andorra's　capital　city　of　Andorra　la　Vella。　
　Halpert　scanned　the　history　and　found　it　ideal。　The　pany　had　perfect　credit；　a　past　history　of　large　sums　passing　through　the　corporation　coffers；　as　well　as　the　shield　of　privacy　offered　by　Andorran　law。　The　remaining　stock　in　the　pany　was　available　for　the　equivalent　of　50；000。　This　sum　would　give　them　plete　control　of　a　corporation　that　had　existed　for　over　thirty　years；　had　a　charter　similar　to　the　intended　use；　and　was　pletely　untraceable。　Halpert　decided　to　buy　Cataluna　Esteme。　
　For　the　feet　of　the　skeleton；　he　used　two　panies　the　Corporation　already　owned。　The　first　was　Gizo　Properties；　based　in　the　Solomon　Islands　in　the　South　Pacific。　The　second　was　Paisen　Industries；　based　in　San　Marino；　a　country　on　the　Adriatic　coast　pletely　surrounded　by　Italy。　Accessing　the　panies'　accounts　over　the　puter；　Halpert　deposited　874；000　in　Gizo　Properties　and　418；000　in　Paisen　Industries。　In　the　blink　of　an　eye；　Halpert　had　moved　1。292　million　into　already　existing　accounts。　The　money　would　not　remain　there　long。　
　Next；　Gizo　Properties　and　Paisen　Industries；　through　a　special　shareholders'　resolution　that　Halpert　drafted　and　passed；　each　agreed　to　buy　stock　in　two　more　panies。　The　first　was　Alcato；　based　in　Lisbon；　the　second；　Tellemedics　of　Asuncion；　Paraguay。　Both　of　these　panies　were　operating　concernsAlcato　built　specialized　marine　electronics；　Tellemedics　made　telemetry　equipment　used　in　hospitals　throughout　South　America。　The　Portuguese　pany　had　a　book　value　of　3　million　U。S。；　the　Paraguayan；　nearly　10　million。　
　Both　had　been　secretly　owned　by　the　Corporation　for　nearly　a　decade。　
　Halpert　pulled　up　the　corporate　records　of　both　and　found　sufficient　cash　reserves　for　his　plan。　
　With　the　legs　now　in　place；　he　looked　for　the　torso。　
　He　would　need　a　recognizable　and　stable　platform　that　would　appeal　to　the　Corporation's　soon…to…be　partners。　For　this　he　could　only　use　Central　Europe。　Halpert　needed　a　pany　based　in　a　country　with　rock…solid　political　stability；　iron…clad　currency　and　worldwide　recognition　of　financial　wherewithal。　He　scanned　his　database　and　found　he　had　three　panies　to　choose　fromthe　first　was　based　in　Basel；　Switzerland；　the　second　in　Luxembourg；　the　third；　which　he　favored；　in　Vaduz；　Liechtenstein。　
　Liechtenstein　it　was。　
　Albertinian　Investments　S。A。　was　a　currency…and…gold…trading　concern　that　had　proved　widely　successful　since　the　recent　upward　move　in　precious　metals　prices。　The　pany；　secretly　controlled　by　the　Corporation；　owned　a　beautiful　six…story　building　in　Vaduz；　where　it　occupied　the　top　two　stories；　had　a　cash　balance　in　accounts　amounting　to　over　18　million　U。S。；　and　frequently　invested　in　other　panies　that　showed　promise。　
　Next；　Alcato　and　Tellemedics　passed　corporate　resolutions　making　loans　of　1。25　million　each　to　Albertinian　Investments。　These　were　posed　of　the　monies　transferred　from　Gizo　Properties　and　Paisen　Industries；　plus　some　cash　from　the　coffers　of　each。　Albertinian　Investments　agreed　to　pay　each　pany　7　percent　interest　for　the　loans；　as　well　as　an　option　to　convert　the　loans　to　stock　at　a　set　price　for　the　next　five　years。　The　trail　of　money　was　being　cloudier　by　the　minute。　There　was　now　an　extra　5　million　of　washed　and　clean　funds　in　Albertinian　Investments。　
　Halpert　sipped　from　a　glass　of　iced　tea。　Then　he　entered　the　mands　into　the　puter　and　Albertinian　Investments　offered　to　buy　Cataluna　Esteme　for　the　50；000　asking　price。　The　transaction　would　take　several　hours　for　the　attorney　in　Andorra　to　plete。　
　Next；　Halpert　scanned　a　base　of　lawyers　the　Corporation　had　used　in　the　past　in　Spain。　Finding　one　in　Madrid；　he　dialed　the　telephone　and　　waited。　
　〃Carlos　the　Second；　please；〃　he　said　in　Spanish　when　the　receptionist　answered。　〃Mr。　Halpert　calling。〃　
　Exactly　forty…two　seconds　later；　the　lawyer　came　on　the　line。　
　〃Sorry　for　the　wait；　Mr。　Halpert；〃　the　lawyer　said。　〃What　can　I　do　　for　you？〃　
　〃I　need　you　to　fly　to　Andorra；　immediately；〃　Halpert　said。　〃We　are　buying　another　pany。〃　
　〃Standard　protocol？〃　the　lawyer　asked。　〃Open　bank　accounts；　rent　offices　and　such？〃　
　〃That's　the　idea；〃　Halpert　said；　〃and　we　need　it　done　yesterday。〃　
　〃I'll　need　to　charter　a　plane；　then；〃　the　lawyer　said。　〃I　doubt　there　are　mercial　flights　available　at　this　late　hour。〃　
　〃We　will　approve　the　costs；〃　Halpert　said。　
　〃How　big　are　you　looking；　sir？〃　
　〃The　initial　funding　will　be　ten　million；〃　Halpert　said。　〃Five　will　be　a　direct　loan　from　one　of　our　divisions　in　Liechtenstein；　the　second　five　will　be　in　the　form　of　a　line　of　credit；　available　immediately。〃　
　〃I　understand；　sir；〃　the　lawyer　said。　〃I'll　leave　right　away。〃　
　〃One　more　thing；〃　Halpert　said。　〃Find　us　a　public　relations　firm　in　AndorraI　have　a　feeling　what　we　are　planning　will　garner　some　press　interest。〃　
　〃Anything　else？〃　
　〃If　there　is；〃　Halpert　said；　〃I'll　contact　you　when　you　reach　Andorra。〃　
　〃Very　good；〃　the　lawyer　said　as　he　hung　up　the　telephone。　
　Then　the　lawyer　sat　back　in　his　chair　and　smiled。　He　knew　his　rather　excessive　fees　would　be　paid　in