cc.goldenbuddha-第5部分

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　〃That's　easy　for　you　to　say；〃　Seng　came　back。　
　A　few　moments　later；　the　lights　inside　the　Nomad　blinked　out　and　it　vanished　into　the　dark　water　of　the　harbor。　
　
　THE　PILOTS　OF　the　sub　relied　on　their　Global　Positioning　System　to　set　them　on　an　exact　course　for　the　section　of　the　city　docks　that　was　their　destination。　Detecting　the　pilings　by　their　laser　monitoring　system；　they　were　able　to　slip　between　the　stern　and　bow　of　two　container　ships　unloading　cargo　and　maneuvered　their　way　amid　the　giant　pilings。　Once　under　the　wharves　and　out　of　sight　from　anyone　above；　they　surfaced　and　closed　the　remaining　gap　using　a　laser　night…penetrating　camera　that　magnified　the　city　lights　filtering　beneath　the　pilings。　
　〃Floating　maintenance　dock　dead　ahead；〃　announced　the　chief　pilot。　There　was　no　hard　check　of　weapons　or　survival　gear。　Though　they　all　carried　concealed　handguns；　they　wanted　to　look　like　a　small　security　unit　moving　through　town　without　any　menacing　designs　on　the　citizens。　Their　only　inspection　was　to　make　sure　their　uniforms　looked　neat　and　presentable。　The　bat　members　of　the　team　had　all　been　members　of　the　Special　Forces。　They　were　under　strict　orders　not　to　mit　mayhem　unless　it　was　absolutely　necessary　in　order　to　save　lives。　Seng　himself　had　served　on　a　marine　recon　team　and　had　never　lost　a　man。　
　No　sooner　had　the　Nomad　gently　bumped　against　the　floating　dock　than　Seng；　followed　closely　by　his　team；　exited　the　sub　and　headed　up　the　stairs　to　a　little　house　that　sheltered　the　dock　and　maintenance　workers'　tools　and　small　equipment。　The　door　was　easily　unlocked　from　the　inside；　and　Seng；　with　only　a　brief　look　to　see　if　anyone　was　standing　nearby；　silently　motioned　everyone　to　follow　him。　
　The　lights　of　the　cranes　and　the　ships　they　were　unloading　lit　up　the　dock　like　daylight；　but　luckily　the　exit　door　was　opposite　and　the　team　formed　in　the　shadows。　Then；　in　a　column　of　twos　and　marching　in　cadence；　Seng　led　them　to　the　end　of　the　dock　and　around　the　warehouse。　
　His　watch　said　9：36。　Exactly　twenty…four　minutes　to　arrive　at　the　front　gate　of　the　prison。　They　found　the　truck　nine　minutes　later；　parked　under　a　dim　dock　light　beside　the　warehouse。　Seng　recognized　it　as　a　1951　Ford　delivery　van　that　looked　like　it　had　passed　the　two…million…mile　mark　years　ago。　In　the　gloom　he　could　make　out　lettering　in　a　fancy　red　script　on　the　side　of　the　fourteen…foot　cargo　body。　It　read　gonzales　food　purveyors　in　Spanish。　The　driver　was　visible　only　by　the　glow　of　his　cigarette。　
　Seng　walked　up　to　the　open　window；　hand　on　his　Ruger　P97　。45　caliber　automatic　with　suppressor；　and　said　quietly。　〃Dos。〃　
　The　driver　of　the　truck　exhaled　a　cloud　of　nonfiltered　cigarette　smoke　into　the　cab　and　replied；　〃Uno。〃　
　〃Pile　in　the　back；〃　Seng　ordered　his　team。　〃I'll　ride　in　front。〃　He　opened　the　passenger　door　and　slid　onto　the　seat。　There　was　no　conversation　as　the　driver　crunched　the　worn…out　transmission　into　gear　and　drove　off　the　dock　into　the　city　streets。　Every　other　light　on　the　boulevard　running　along　the　bay　was　dark；　either　because　the　bulbs　had　burned　out　and　had　never　been　replaced　or　to　conserve　energy。　After　a　few　blocks　the　driver　turned　onto　a　main　street　and　headed　up　a　slight　grade　toward　San　Juan　Hill。　
　Cuba's　second　largest　city；　Santiago　was　in　Oriente　Province　and　had　been　the　island's　capital　in　the　seventeenth　century。　Surrounded　by　hills　with　coffee　and　sugar…cane　plantations；　the　city　was　a　maze　of　narrow　streets；　with　small　plazas　and　buildings　of　Spanish　colonial　architecture　bearing　hanging　balconies。　
　Seng　remained　silent；　concentrating　on　scanning　the　side　streets　and　studying　the　numbers　on　his　portable　GPS　to　make　certain　the　driver　was　heading　in　the　right　direction。　The　streets　were　mostly　empty　of　traffic；　except　for　fifty…year…old　cars　parked　along　the　curbs；　and　the　sidewalks　were　filled　with　people　simply　out　for　an　after…dinner　stroll　or　sitting　in　bars　that　reverberated　with　loud　strains　of　the　Cuban　beat。　Many　of　the　stores　and　apartments　above　had　paint　that　was　faded　and　chipped；　while　others　were　coated　in　vivid　pastel　colors。　The　gutters　and　sidewalks　were　clean；　but　the　windows　looked　like　they　had　rarely　seen　a　cleaner　and　a　squeegee。　For　the　most　part；　the　people　looked　happy。　There　was　much　laughter　and　occasional　singing。　No　one　gave　the　truck　a　second　look　as　it　passed　slowly　through　the　main　downtown　section　of　the　city。　
　Seng　spotted　a　few　men　in　uniform；　but　they　seemed　more　interested　in　talking　with　women　than　watching　for　a　foreign　intrusion。　The　driver　lit　up　another　foul…smelling　cigarette。　Seng　had　never　smoked；　and　he　leaned　further　against　his　door　and　turned　his　face　through　the　open　window；　lifting　his　nose　in　disgust。　
　Ten　minutes　later　the　truck　reached　the　front　gate　of　the　fortress　prison。　The　driver　pulled　past　and　stopped　fifty　yards　down　the　road。　〃I　will　wait　here；〃　he　said；　in　almost　perfect　English。　They　were　the　first　words　he　had　spoken　since　the　dock。　
　Seng　read　him　like　a　book。　〃Educator　or　doctor？〃　
　〃I　teach　history　at　the　university。〃　
　〃Thank　you。〃　
　〃Don't　be　long。　The　truck　will　look　suspicious　if　it　sits　here　past　midnight。〃　
　〃We　should　be　out　before　then；〃　Seng　assured　him。　
　Seng　climbed　out　of　the　truck　cab　and　peered　up　and　down　the　street　cautiously。　It　was　empty。　He　rapped　softly　on　the　cargo　doors。　They　opened　and　his　team　dropped　out　and　joined　him　on　the　brick…surfaced　street。　Together　they　marched　as　a　unit　up　to　the　front　gate　and　pulled　the　bell　cord。　A　ringing　could　be　heard　in　the　guard's　office　behind　the　gate。　In　a　few　minutes；　a　guard　came　wandering　out；　rubbing　his　eyes　and　temples。　He　had　obviously　been　asleep　on　duty。　He　was　about　to　tell　the　intruders　to　go　away　when　he　recognized　Seng's　uniform　and　insignia　as　a　colonel's　and　he　feverishly　opened　the　gate；　stood　back　and　saluted。　
　〃Sir；　what　brings　you　to　the　fortress　this　time　of　night？〃　
　〃Colonel　Antonio　Yarayo。　I　was　sent　by　the　Ministry　of　State　Security　with　this　team　to　interrogate　one　of　the　prisoners。　A　new　investigation　has　turned　up　a　suspected　United　States　spy　operation。　We　believe　they　have　information　which　could　prove　useful。〃　
　〃Pardon　me；　sir；　but　I　must　ask　you　for　the　proper　papers。〃　
　〃As　a　good　soldier；　Sergeant；〃　said　Seng　officiously；　〃well　you　should。〃　He　handed　the　guard　an　envelope。　〃Why　aren't　there　more　guards　on　duty？〃　
　〃There　is　one　other　who　watches　the　prisoners'　cells。〃　
　〃Hmm。　Well；　I　see　no　reason　to　stand　out　here　all　night。　Take　me　to　your　office　quarters。〃　
　The　guard　immediately　ushered　them　into　a　barren　office　that　contained　only　a　desk　and　two　chairs。　A　photo　of　Castro；　taken　when　he　was　a　young　man；　hung　alone　on　one　wall。　
　〃Who　is　the　officer　in　mand　here？〃　asked　Seng。　
　〃Captain　Juan　Lopez。〃　
　〃Where　is　he？〃　
　〃He　has　a　girlfriend　with　a　house　in　the　city。　He　will　be　back　at　nine　o'clock　tomorrow。〃　
　〃How　very　convenient；〃　Seng　said　as　if　bored。　〃What　is　your　name？〃　
　〃Lieutenant　Gabriel　Sanchez；　sir。〃　
　〃And　the　name　of　the　other　guard　on　duty　in　the　cells？〃　
　〃Sergeant　Ignez　Macco。〃　
　〃Please　check　the　documents　so　we　can　get　on　with　it。〃　
　The　guard　sat　down　at　the　desk　and　pulled　some　paper　out　of　the　envelope。　Seng　moved　behind　and　removed　a　small　gun　from　his　pocket　as　Sanchez　stared　blankly　at　a　pair　of　ic　books。　He　looked　up。　〃Colonel；　I　don't　under〃　
　That　was　as　far　as　he　got　before　Seng　shot　a　tiny　dart　filled　with　a　tranquilizer　into　the　nape　of　his　neck。　Sanchez　looked　at　Seng　oddly　before　slumping　unconscious　over　the　table。　
　Seng　threw　a　roll　of　duct　tape　to　one　of　his　team。　Every　move　was　so　well　rehearsed　that　he　did　not　have　to　give　orders。　Two　men　took　the　tape；　bound　the　unconscious　guard；　searched　his　pocketsfinding　an　unusual　round　keyand　then　stuffed　him　in　a　closet。　Another　man　went　to　work　carefully　rendering　the　security　alarms　and　munications　equipment　inoperable。　
　As　they　rushed　through　the　passageways　and　tunnels　and　down　stone　steps　to　the　cells　below；　Seng　knew　where　he　was　within　a　foot；　thanks　to　the　holographic　image　of　the　fortress　that　he　had　mitted　to　memory。　
　There　was　no　desperate　hurry；　but　they　could　not　afford　to　throw　away　time。　He　could　see　now　why　only　a　few　men　guarded　the　entire　facility。　The　walls　were　massively　thick；　and　there　was　only　one　entrance　in　and　out　of　the　dungeon　cells　far　below　street　level。　The　only　way　a　prisoner　could　escape　was　the　way　the　team　from　the　Oregon　had　efrom　the　outside。　A　string　of　lightbulbs　lit　the　passageway。　The　ceiling　was　very　high；　but　the　space　between　the　walls　was　very　narrow。　The　steps　finally　ended　at　an　enormous　steel　door　with　the　thickness　of　a　bank　vault。　A　TV　camera　stared　ominously　at　Seng　and　his　men。　This　was　the　tricky　part；　he　thought；　as　he　inserted　the　odd…looking　key　into　the　steel　lock。　Seng　prayed　that　the　key　would　do　the　job　without　a　code　being　demanded。　
　His　fear　was　confirmed　when　he　turned　the　key　and　a　buzzer　could　be　heard　from　the　other　side　of　the　door。　A　minute　later　a　voice　called　through　a　nearby　loudspeaker；　〃Who　goes　there？〃　
　〃Colonel　Antonio　Yarayo；　State　Security；　with　an　interrogation　team　to　question　the　traitors。〃　
　There　was　a　pause。　Seng　didn't　wait　for　a　reply。　
　〃Open　up。　I　have　the　authority　and　necessary　documents。　Lieutenant　Sanchez　would　have　acpanied　us；　but　he　said　he　was　not　allowed　to　leave　the　front　gate　unguarded。　Sergeant　Ignez　Macco；　is　it？〃　Seng　held　up　the　envelope。　〃If　you　have　any　questions；　I　have　your　service　record　in　my　hands。〃　
　〃But　sir；〃　the　voice　of　Macco　pleaded；　〃if　the　door　is　opened　before　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning；　alarms　will　go　off　in　the　state　security　office　at　Fort　Canovar。〃　
　〃I　ordered　Lieutenant　Sanchez　to　turn　off　the　dungeon　alarm；〃　Seng　bluffed。　
　〃But　sir；　he　cannot　do　that。　The　door　is　on　a　separate　system　that　is　wired　to　the　security　mandant's　office　in　the　city。　It　cannot　be　opened　until　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃　
　It　was　one　more　obstacle　to　overe；　but　not　totally　unexpected。　Seng　was　betting　that　the　security　officers　would　think　the　alarms　were　malfunctioning　and　call　the　fort　to　check　it　out　before　sending　a　squad　of　security　police。　
　Macco　fell　for　it。　A