cc.goldenbuddha-第56部分

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the　fires　from　the　Predator's　attack　burning　bright　in　the　early　morning。　
　Then；　as　if　a　divine　light　was　making　its　way　to　earth；　a　series　of　red　light　sticks　began　to　flicker　on　the　tarmac。　The　Dungkar　were　sending　the　message　it　was　safe　to　land。　
　〃Land　inside　the　box；〃　Seng　said　to　the　pilot。　
　〃Will　do；〃　the　pilot　said；　starting　his　descent。　
　Seconds　after　the　helicopter　landed；　Seng　climbed　from　the　front　while　King　made　his　way　from　the　rear。　Seng　quickly　walked　to　the　terminal；　where　he　met　up　with　the　leader　of　the　Dungkar。　At　the　same　time；　King　motioned　to　the　troops　for　help；　and　then　began　to　unload　crates　of　rifles　and　ammunition　from　the　cargo　area。　
　〃What　have　you　got？〃　Seng　asked　the　man；　who　was　no　more　than　thirty。　
　〃The　hangars　over　there；〃　the　man　said；　pointing；　〃contain　one　fighter　plane；　one　cargo　plane　and　a　pair　of　attack　helicopters。　The　hangar　next　door　must　be　for　repairsthere　is　a　helicopter　disassembled　and　the　fuselage　of　an　observation　plane　with　the　engine　removed。〃　
　Cabrillo　had　asked　the　Dalai　Lama　to　make　sure　the　Dungkar　officers　he　picked　were　able　to　speak　English。　There　was　no　time　for　his　team　to　learn　Tibetan　and　less　time　for　misunderstanding。　
　〃Where　did　you　go　to　school？〃　Seng　asked。　
　〃Arizona　State；　sir；〃　the　man　said　eagerly。　〃Go；　Sun　Devils。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Seng　said。　〃I'm　sure　you're　glad　to　be　homenow；　let's　see　if　we　can　keep　it　that　way。　First；　I　want　a　couple　of　your　men　to　work　with　the　guy　ing　in　on　that　helicopter。〃　He　pointed　to　another　Bell；　just　touching　down　twenty　yards　away。　〃We　need　to　rig　these　buildings　with　charges　to　burn　them　if　necessary。〃　
　〃I'll　put　a　dozen　of　my　best　men　on　it；〃　the　man　said　eagerly。　
　〃How　many　Chinese　have　you　captured？〃　Seng　asked。　
　〃Less　than　a　dozen；　sir；〃　the　man　said。　〃One　of　mine　deadtwo　of　theirs。〃　
　The　airport　was　a　bedlam　of　activity。　The　fires　burned　at　the　far　end　of　the　field　against　the　tapestry　of　the　early　morning；　and　the　sound　of　the　landing　helicopters　added　a　surreal　element　to　the　quiet　air。　All　at　once；　solitude　had　bee　a　salvo。　
　〃Listen　carefully；〃　Seng　said　to　the　leader　of　the　Dungkar　forces；　〃this　es　from　the　Dalai　Lama　himself。　There　will　be　no　brutality　or　mistreatment　of　the　prisonersmake　sure　your　men　know　this　clearly。　Once　this　is　all　said　and　done；　we're　returning　whatever　prisoners　we　capture　to　Chinamy　pany　doesn't　want　to　hear　of　any　atrocities　whatsoever。　This　is　a　coup　d'etat；　not　an　ethnic　cleansing。　Are　we　clear　on　that？〃　
　〃pany；　sir？〃　the　man　asked。　〃Aren't　you　United　States　troops？〃　
　〃We're　from　the　States；〃　Seng　said；　〃at　least　most　of　us；　but　we　are　a　private　firm　now　working　under　the　direction　of　your　leader。　If　you　and　the　other　Dungkar　do　what　we　order；　in　the　next　twenty…four　to　forty…eight　hours；　there　will　be　a　free　Tibet　once　again。〃　
　〃You've　done　this　sort　of　thing　before？〃　the　man　asked　in　amazement。　
　〃There's　no　time　for　chitchat；〃　Seng　snapped。　〃You　all　do　exactly　what　you're　ordered　and　this　will　go　as　smoothly　as　possible。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Seng　said。　〃Bring　the　highest…ranking　prisoner　to　the　main　terminal　and　have　him　seated　in　a　chair　and　guarded。　We'll　be　setting　up　operations　there　in　the　next　several　minutesthen　I　want　to　speak　to　him。〃　
　The　man　shouted　orders　in　Tibetan。　The　Dungkar　soldiers　lined　up　in　rows。　He　explained　what　Seng　had　relayed；　then　ordered　six　sergeants　to　the　forefront。　Then　one　group　led　by　a　sergeant　went　off　to　round　up　the　prisoners。　Another　split　off　to　the　helicopter　Kasim　had　left。　
　〃Hali；〃　Seng　shouted；　〃take　these　men　and　wire　the　other　hangars　to　blow　if　we　need　to。〃　
　Kasim　motioned　to　the　troops　and　raced　back　to　the　helicopter。　The　Bell　that　had　carried　Seng　and　King　to　the　airfield　was　now　unloaded。　King　motioned　for　it　to　lift　off。　The　pilot　ascended　to　one　thousand　feet　over　the　field　and　then　began　to　fly　in　large　lazy　circles。　Two　more　touched　down；　and　Crabtree　and　Gannon　climbed　out。　〃What's　your　name？〃　Seng　shouted　to　the　leader　of　the　Dungkar。　〃Rimpoche；　Pache　Rimpoche。〃　Gannon　and　Crabtree　raced　over。　
　〃Carl；〃　Seng　said；　〃this　is　General　Rimpoche。　Tell　him　what　you　need。〃　
　Gannon　walked　a　few　feet　away　to　where　they　could　hear　better　and　explained。　Rimpoche　summoned　a　sergeant　and　a　dozen　men　raced　off。　
　〃I　need　the　supplies　unloaded　and　taken　inside；〃　Crabtree　said　to　Seng；　who　pointed　to　Rimpoche。　
　〃General　Rimpoche；〃　he　said；　motioning　to　the　man；　〃will　take　care　of　it。〃　
　Seng　undipped　a　portable　radio　from　his　belt　and　switched　it　on；　then　spoke。　
　〃Airport　is　under　our　control；〃　he　said　to　Hanley　on　the　Oregon。　〃What　do　you　see？〃　
　Hanley　studied　the　satellite　image　on　the　screen　before　answering。　〃No　troop　movement　yetbut　if　they　do　e；　it　will　be　from　the　road　that　enters　from　the　east。　There　is　what　looks　like　a　bridge　about　three…　
　quarters　of　a　mile　toward　Lhasa。　Control　that；　and　you'll　be　able　to　make　a　stand　if　necessary。〃　
　〃No　planes　or　helicopter　activity？〃　Seng　asked。　
　〃None；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Anything　not　on　the　ground　there　is　far　to　the　north。　Even　if　they　called　them　back　now；　you　have　an　hour　or　so。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Seng　said　as　Meadows　walked　up。　〃Reach　me　by　portable　if　the　situation　changes。〃　
　〃We're　on　full　alert；〃　Hanley　said。　〃It　all　es　down　to　the　next　few　hours。〃　
　Seng　clipped　the　radio　back　on　his　belt　and　turned　to　Meadows。　〃Bob；　take　fifty　troops　and　your　weaponry　down　that　road；〃　he　said；　pointing。　〃There's　a　bridge　we　need　to　control。〃　
　〃Who's　in　charge　from　their　side？〃　Meadows　asked。　
　〃General　Rimpoche；〃　Seng　said；　pointing　to　the　man。　
　At　that　instant；　three　trucks　slowly　drove　in　front　of　the　terminal　and　were　motioned　to　stop　by　Gannon。　At　the　same　time；　Tom　Reyes　walked　over。　
　〃General？〃　Seng　shouted。　
　Rimpoche　approached。　〃Yes？〃　
　〃I　need　four　of　your　best　men；　crack　shots　and　fearless。〃　
　Rimpoche　turned　and　shouted　out　names　to　the　cluster　of　troops。　Four　men　emerged　from　the　crowd。　Not　one　of　the　men　was　over　five　feet　six。　Dripping　wet；　not　one　of　them　could　have　weighed　over　150　pounds。　
　〃Do　any　of　them　speak　English？〃　Seng　asked。　
　〃All　of　them　do　a　little；〃　Rimpoche　said。　
　〃Tell　them　this；〃　Seng　said。　〃They　will　be　going　into　Lhasa　with　two　of　my　men　to　capture　a　very　important　man。　They　need　to　do　exactly　what　my　men　tell　themwithout　hesitation。〃　
　Rimpoche　translated。　
　As　soon　as　he　had　finished；　the　four　men　shouted　〃Huh〃　and　stomped　one　foot　on　the　tarmac。　
　〃You　have　your　file？〃　Seng　asked　Reyes。　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Reyes　said。　
　King　was　a　short　distance　away；　removing　a　long　black　case　from　a　crate。　〃Okay；　Larry；〃　Seng　shouted；　〃you　and　Tom　can　go　do　your　thing。〃　
　Holding　a　set　of　night…vision　goggles；　King　walked　over。　〃Let's　do　it；〃　he　said。　
　Reyes　motioned　to　the　four　Tibetans；　who　were　eagerly　waiting。　〃We're　going　to　grab　someone；　and　we're　going　to　do　it　with　a　minimum　of　shootingdo　you　men　understand？〃　
　〃I　speak　fair　English；〃　one　of　the　soldiers　said。　〃I'll　translate。〃　
　He　reiterated　what　Reyes　had　said；　then　turned。　〃Which　helicopter？〃　
　〃This　way；〃　Reyes　said；　leading　them　back　to　the　helicopter　he　had　just　climbed　off。　King　followed　the　four　Tibetans；　and　once　they　were　seated　inside；　the　helicopter　lifted　off　and　headed　into　the　center　of　town。　
　〃Who　are　they　after？〃　Rimpoche　asked。　
　〃The　chairman　of　the　Tibet　Autonomous　Region；　Legchog　Zhuren。〃　The　last　helicopter　was　on　the　ground；　and　Huxley　walked　over。　〃This　is　our　medical　officer；〃　Seng　said　to　Rimpoche。　〃Poll　your　troops　and　see　if　any　of　your　men　have　any　experience　as　doctors　or　nursesif　so；　we　need　them　to　work　with　Julia　here。　Right　now；　however；　we　need　that　helicopter　unloaded　and　the　contents　carried　inside　the　terminal。　Ms。　Huxley　will　be　setting　up　a　field　hospital　immediately。　If　any　of　your　men　were　injured　or　wounded；　she'll　treat　them　shortly。〃　Rimpoche　shouted　orders　and　men　raced　to　the　helicopter　to　unload。　Adams　and　Gunderson　were　standing　to　the　side；　waiting　for　Seng　to　finish。　He　turned　and　smiled。　
　〃You　two　go　see　what　the　Chinese　have　that　we　can　use；〃　Seng　said。　〃I　need　to　interrogate　a　prisoner。〃　
　The　two　pilots　ambled　off　toward　the　hangars。　Seng　walked　inside　to　where　a　Chinese　air　force　lieutenant　was　sitting　in　a　chair　in　the　middle　of　the　terminal　with　four　fierce…looking　Tibetan　soldiers　surrounding　him。　
　
　〃DAMN　NICE　SCENERY；〃　Murphy　noted；　glancing　out　the　window。　〃Like　Alaska　on　steroids。〃　
　Gurt　was　watching　the　altitude　gauge　as　they　climbed　higher　toward　the　imposing　ridge　of　mountains　just　ahead。　The　sun　had　yet　to　peek　over　the　horizon；　but　her　ing　was　heralded　by　the　pink　glow　being　cast　over　the　rugged　terrain。　
　〃We　could　probably　claim　the　helicopter　altitude　record；〃　Gurt　said。　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Murphy　said。　〃Some　guy　went　to　twenty…four　thousand　feet　a　couple　of　years　ago　to　perform　a　Himalayan　rescue。〃　
　〃I　read　about　that；〃　Gurt　said；　〃but　that　was　in　a　Bell　206。　And　it　had　special　rotor　blades。〃　
　〃You　sound　a　little　worried；〃　Murphy　said。
　〃Not　worried；〃　Gurt　said；　〃just　apprehensive。〃
　He　pointed　out　the　front　windshield　at　the　wall　approaching。　The　trees　were　petering　out　as　they　drew　nearer。　Now　there　was　only　the　black　and　gray　of　rocks　streaked　with　tendrils　of　snow　and　ice　that　dripped　down　the　sides　of　the　imposing　mountain　like　rivulets　of　ice　cream　on　a　child's　hand。　A　gust　of　wind　buffeted　the　helicopter；　blowing　it　sideways。　Clouds　started　to　appear　around　the　Bell。　Gurt　stared　at　the　gauge　again。　
　It　read　eighteen　thousand　feet　and　climbing。
　
　THE　HELICOPTER　CARRYING　Reyes；　King　and　the　Dungkar　forces　came　in　twenty　feet　above　the　ground　and　approached　Lhasa　from　the　south。　The　sound　from　the　Lhasa　River　helped　cover　the　noise　as　the　pilot　landed　on　a　small　spit　of　sand　in　the　river　just　east　of　what　the　Chinese　referred　to　as　Dream　Island；　formerly　an　idyllic　picnic　spot　now　replaced　by　tacky　Chinese　shops　and　karaoke　bars。　〃Unload　the　crates；〃　Reyes　shouted　to　the　Dungkar。　As　soon　as　the　crates　were　unloaded　and　King　had　exited；　they　all　＇　raced　a　short　distance　away　and　crouched　down　to　avoid　the　blast　of　sand　from　the　rotor　wash　as　the　helicopter　quickly　lifted　off　and　raced　downriver。　On