cc.goldenbuddha-第58部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Gurt　reached　behind　his　seat　and　felt　for　a　handgun　in　a　rack。　The　Chinese　troops　were　struggling　through　the　thick　snow；　making　slow　but　steady　progress　toward　the　Bell。　They　were　holding　rifles；　but　they　had　yet　to　take　a　shot。　
　Murphy　stumbled　along　as　fast　as　one　could　run　on　snowshoes。　While　he　ran；　he　was　folding　out　a　grenade　launcher。　Reaching　over　his　shoulder　into　the　pack；　he　removed　a　rocket…propelled　grenade　and　started　fitting　it　into　the　launcher。　He　was　on　a　sloping　ridge；　racing　down；　when　he　first　caught　sight　of　the　Chinese　troops。　They　were　twenty…five　feet　from　the　Bell。　Murphy　estimated　his　angle　and　fired　a　grenade。　It　went　over　the　heads　of　the　Chinese　troops　and　exploded。　They　flopped　on　their　bellies　in　the　deep　snow。　
　〃What　the〃　Gurt　started　to　say　as　he　turned　and　saw　Murphy　approaching　in　the　distance。　
　Adding　fuel　to　the　turbine；　Gurt　tried　to　lift　off。　Nothing。　Murphy　was　twenty　feet　away　now　and　racing　toward　the　helicopter。　The　first　few　Chinese　troops　began　to　rise　from　the　snow　and　shoulder　their　rifles。　Gurt　started　firing　the　handgun　from　the　window。　A　couple　seconds　later；　Murphy's　M…16　opened　up。　
　Ten　feet　now。　Gurt　reached　across　and　opened　the　copilot's　door。　Murphy　paused　in　his　firing；　removed　his　pack；　placed　it　gingerly　behind　his　seat　and　climbed　inside；　holding　the　M…16　in　his　lap。　Gurt　was　firing　the　handgun　and　fiddling　with　the　collective　at　the　same　time。　
　〃Morning；〃　Murphy　said　when　there　was　a　moment　of　quiet。　〃Anything　exciting　happen　while　I　was　away？〃　
　〃We　have　no　lift；〃　Gurt　said　before　squeezing　off　a　few　rounds。　〃I'll　need　to　milk　the　cyclic　to　get　us　off　the　ground。〃　
　The　Chinese　troops　had　stopped　advancing。　Now　they　were　digging　in　to　make　their　kill　shot。　
　Murphy　slipped　between　the　seats　into　the　rear　and　yanked　open　both　cargo　doors。　〃Quit　firing　and　take　us　up；　Gurt。　I'll　handle　these　boys。〃　
　Milking　the　cyclic　is　bad　for　helicopters。　It　consists　of　jamming　the　cyclic　from　side　to　side　while　pumping　up　and　down　on　the　collective。　It　can　create　lift　when　there　is　nonebut　it　can　also　easily　cause　the　mast　that　supports　the　rotor　to　bump　against　other　parts　of　the　helicopter。　Then　you　run　the　risk　of　a　nick　or　a　fracture　in　the　mast。　Lose　the　mast　and　you've　lost　the　helicopter。　
　The　firefight　had　erupted　so　quickly　that　the　Chinese　tank　mander　had　little　time　to　rally　his　men。　Now　that　he'd　had　a　few　minutes　to　prepare　and　his　troops　were　dug　in　to　the　snow；　he　began　to　shout　orders　that　would　concentrate　the　fire　in　the　right　direction。　
　Gurt　slammed　the　cyclic　from　one　side　to　the　other　and　the　212　began　to　rise　slowly。　
　Right　at　that　instant；　the　Chinese　mander　screamed　for　his　men　to　advance；　and　the　front　line　rose。　At　the　same　time；　Murphy　triggered　the　grenade　and　it　left　the　launcher　with　a　whoosh　and　a　burning　smell　that　filled　the　cabin。　The　round　landed　six　feet　in　front　of　the　lead　soldier　and　exploded。　Murphy　followed　that　up　with　a　plete　clip　from　the　M…16。　He　replaced　the　clip　and　prepared　to　fire　again。　
　Just　then；　Gurt　got　the　Bell　off　the　ground　and　struggled　to　turn　away　from　the　firefight。　
　They　were　a　hundred　feet　away　from　the　Chinese　troops　when　Murphy　blew　through　the　second　clip　and　the　bloody　snow　where　the　Chinese　troops　lay　began　to　fade　in　the　distance。　He　quickly　replaced　the　clip；　set　the　M…16　to　one　side　and　reached　for　the　remote　detonator。　
　The　C…6　erupted　with　a　force　equivalent　to　ten　thousand　pounds　of　TNT。　A　slab　of　snow　was　ripped　from　the　side　of　the　hill　and　raced　down　the　slope；　covering　the　Chinese　troops。　Then　the　slide　raced　across　the　road　with　a　wall　of　snow　and　ice　twenty　feet　high。　In　sympathy；　smaller　slides　broke　loose　from　the　opposite　hillside　from　the　shock　wave　that　trembled　through　the　rock　and　soil。　These　slides　added　another　eight　to　ten　feet　to　the　mess　already　created。　The　few　Chinese　troops　still　living　after　the　firefight　were　buried　beneath　the　wall　of　snow。　
　
　THE　PILOT　OF　the　Gulfstream　stared　at　his　navigation　screen　carefully。　The　route　he　was　taking　did　not　allow　much　margin　for　error。　He　was　flying　above　a　small　corridor　of　Indian　airspace　that　jutted　between　Bangladesh　and　Nepal。　The　surface　area　was　but　twenty　miles　in　width　at　the　smallest　point。　The　land　below　was　hotly　contested　by　all　three　countries。　
　Slowly　he　steered　the　Gulfstream　in　a　sweeping　turn　to　the　left。　〃Sir；〃　he　shouted　to　the　rear　cabin；　〃we're　through　the　worst　of　it。〃　The　Gulfstream　was　now　above　the　wider　strip　of　land　between　Nepal　and　Bhutan。　
　〃How　long　until　we　reach　Tibetan　airspace？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　The　pilot　stared　at　the　GPS　screen。　〃Less　than　five　minutes。〃　Juan　Cabrillo　should　have　been　bone…tired；　but　he　was　not。　He　stared　out　the　window　at　the　mountainous　terrain　below。　The　rising　sun　was　blanketed　in　a　glow　of　pinks　and　yellows。　Tibet　was　directly　ahead。　He　reached　for　the　secure　telephone　and　dialed。　
　
　IN　BEIJING；　HU　Jintao　was　awakened　early。　The　actions　in　Barkhor　Square　had　not〃gone　unnoticed。　Jintao　quickly　rose　from　his　bed；　washed　his　face；　and　went　downstairs；　still　dressed　in　his　nightclothes。　〃What's　the　situation？〃　he　asked　a　general　without　preamble。　〃It's　all　fluid；　Mr。　President；〃　the　general　admitted；　〃but　the　Russian　tank　column　has　started　moving　into　Mongolia。　Their　ambassador　assures　us　the　movement　is　just　an　exercise　between　their　country　and　Russia。　However；　at　the　speed　they　are　moving；　they　could　enter　China　across　the　Altai　Mountains　into　the　Tarim　Basin　anytime　in　the　next　few　hours。〃　
　〃What　about　aircraft？〃　Jintao　asked。　
　〃They　have　several　paratroop　units　at　the　staging　area　inside　Russia；〃　the　general　said。　〃Our　satellites　have　detected　transport　planes　moving　on　the　tarmac。　As　of　right　now；　nothing　has　left　the　ground。〃　Jintao　turned　to　the　head　of　foreign　relations。　〃We　don't　currently　have　any　dispute　with　Russia；〃　he　said。　〃What　possible　reason　would　they　have　to　launch　an　attack　on　our　border？〃
　〃At　the　moment；　our　relations　are　peaceful。〃
　〃Most　odd；〃　Jintao　said。　
　〃The　Russian　ambassador　has　asked　for　a　meeting　at　ten　a。m。　this　morning；〃　the　man　added。　〃The　request　came　overnight　through　a　priority　channel。〃　
　〃Did　he　disclose　the　nature　of　his　request？〃　Jintao　asked。　
　〃No；〃　the　foreign　relations　head　said。　
　Jintao　stood　quietly　for　a　moment；　thinking。　
　〃Mr。　President；〃　the　general　said；　〃there's　more。　We　just　received　reports　from　the　capital　of　Tibet　that　a　protest　has　formed　in　one　of　thi　main　squares　inside　the　city。〃　
　
　Her；　they　had　yanked　a　rapid…firing　antiaircraft　gun　from　its　mount　on　the　border　of　Gonggar　Airport。　Now　they　were　fitting　it　to　the　cargo　plane　to　make　a　crude　gunship。　The　soldiers　worked　quickly；　as　did　those　at。　the　other　end　of　the　hangar。　
　George　Adams　watched　as　the　Dungkar　troops　filled　the　fuel　tank　on　the　attack　helicopter。　For　the　last　ten　minutes；　he　had　climbed　around　inside　the　ship　in　an　effort　to　determine　the　controls　and　weapons　systems。　At　this　instant；　he　was　convinced　that　he　could　probably　fly　the　birdmaking　the　weapons　perform　as　desired　was　a　little　iffier。　
　〃Wele　to　the　Dungkar　Air　Force；〃　Gunderson　said；　walking　over。　〃We　fly；　you　die。〃　
　〃How's　it　going　over　there？〃　Adams　said；　smiling。　
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　Gunderson　admitted。　〃We　have　the　weapon　lodged　in　the　rear　and　supported　with　enough　planks　to　build　a　barnif　it　doesn't　fly　out　the　opposite　side　the　first　time　we　light　it　up；　we　should　be　okay。　How　about　you？〃　
　〃My　Chinese　is　a　little　rusty；〃　Adams　said。　〃About　as　rusty　as　an　iron　ship　on　the　bottom　of　the　ocean。　But　I　think　I　can　pilot　this　beast。〃　
　Gunderson　nodded。　〃Let's　make　a　pact；　old　buddy；〃　he　said；　smiling。　
　〃What's　that？〃　Adams　asked。　
　〃When　we　get　up　there；〃　Gunderson　said；　〃let's　not　shoot　each　other　down。〃　
　He　turned　and　started　to　walk　back　to　the　cargo　plane。　〃Good　luck；〃　he　said　over　his　shoulder。　
　〃You　too；〃　Adams　answered。　
　Right　then　the　door　started　to　rise；　and　sunlight　and　cold　air　swept　into　the　hangar。　A　minute　later　the　attack　helicopter　was　wheeled　onto　the　tarmac　and　a　motorized　cart　was　attached　to　the　front　of　the　cargo　plane　to　pull　it　onto　the　runway。　
　
　BARKHOR　SQUARE　WAS　rapidly　filling　with　Tibetans。　The　crude　human　telegraph　system　that　operates　in　time　of　crisis　was　working　overtime。　Four　blocks　away；　a　platoon　of　Chinese　soldiers　were　attempting　to　make　their　way　by　armored　personnel　carrier　from　their　barracks　to　the　square　after　receiving　a　call　that　there　was　action　at　the　chairman's　home。　
　Tibetans　clogged　the　streets　and　the　going　was　slow。　
　〃Piper；　Piper；　this　is　Masquerade。〃　
　〃Masquerade；　this　is　Piper；　we　read。〃　
　〃Request　immediate　extraction；〃　Reyes　said。　〃We　have　the　target。〃　
　〃State　point　of　extraction；　Masquerade。〃　
　〃Spot　one；　one；　primary；　Piper。　Spot　one　three；　secondary　HH。〃　
　〃Acknowledge　extraction　coordinates；　Masquerade；　they　are　inbound　in　three。〃　
　Upon　receiving　the　order；　the　helicopter　that　had　delivered　them　to　the　river　lifted　from　the　ground　at　a　spot　ten　miles　between　Lhasa　and　Gonggar　Airport；　where　the　pilot　had　been　waiting。　Once　he　had　the　helicopter　in　forward　flight；　the　pilot　stared　at　a　map　listing　the　extraction　points　they　had　arranged；　and　glanced　at　the　note　he　had　scribbled　on　a　pad　attached　to　the　clip　on　his　knee。　He　flew　fast　and　low　toward　Barkhor　Square。　
　
　IN　LITTLE　LHASA；　the　Dalai　Lama　waited　inside　the　munications　room　near　a　bank　of　radios。　In　the　last　few　minutes；　his　network　of　spies　inside　Tibet　had　begun　to　report　the　progress。　So　far；　at　least；　the　operation　appeared　to　be　going　flawlessly。　
　He　turned　to　an　aide…de…camp。　〃Are　the　preparations　pleted　for　our　trip　home？〃　he　asked。　
　〃As　soon　as　word　es　from　Mr。　Cabrillo；　Your　Holiness；〃　he　said。　〃We　can　have　you　there　in　two　hours　by　jet。〃　
　The　Dalai　Lama　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Once　we　take　off；〃　he　asked；　〃how　long　will　it　be　until　we　are　over　Tibet？〃　
　〃Half　an　hour；〃　the　man　noted；　〃give　or　take。〃
　〃I　am　going　to　the　temple　now　to　pray；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　rising。　〃Keep　watch　on　the　situation。〃　
　〃Yes；　Your　Holiness；〃　the　aide　said。　
　
　CHUCK　GUNDERSON　WAS　helping　George　Adams　strap　himself　into　the　attack　helicopter。　None　o