cc.goldenbuddha-第59部分

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　CHUCK　GUNDERSON　WAS　helping　George　Adams　strap　himself　into　the　attack　helicopter。　None　of　the　Chinese　helmets　inside　the　hangar　were　large　enough　to　fit　his　head；　so　he　was　using　his　own　personal　headset；　plugged　into　the　radio　for　munications。　He　was　squeezed　into　the　seat　like　a　fat　girl　in　spandex。　
　〃They　don't　make　these　for　big　guys　like　us；〃　Adams　joked。　〃You　should　see　mine；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃The　Chinese　still　believe　in　quantity　over　quality。　My　cockpit　looks　like　I'm　back　in　World　War　Two。　I　keep　expecting　Glenn　Miller　music　to　start　playing　over　the　radio。〃　
　〃Look　at　this　dashboard；〃　Adams　said　as　Gunderson　finished　and　stood　upright　on　the　ladder。　〃It's　got　more　metal　that　a　fifty…seven　Chevy。〃　
　Just　then；　Eddie　Seng　walked　over　quickly。　You　need　to　get　airborne　and　clear　the　runway。　Cabrillo　just　called。　He's　five　minutes　out。〃　
　Gunderson　pushed　down　on　the　Plexiglas　shield　over　Adams's　head　and　held　it　as　he　fastened　it　in　place。　Then　he　thumped　the　top　and　gave　Adams　a　thumbs…up　sign。　Climbing　back　down　the　ladder；　he　motioned　for　the　Tibetan　helpers　to　wheel　it　out　of　the　way。　He　began　walking　with　Seng　toward　the　cargo　plane　as　he　heard　the　igniters　in　the　turbine　engine　of　the　attack　helicopter　begin　to　wind　up。　
　〃Mr。　Seng；〃　Gunderson　said；　〃what's　the　latest？〃　
　〃I　interrogated　the　Chinese　lieutenant　that　was　the　ranking　officer　here；〃　Seng　said。　〃He　was　not　able　to　get　word　to　Beijing　before　we　captured　his　forces。〃　
　〃So　for　now；〃　Gunderson　said；　reaching　the　door　of　the　cargo　plane；　
　〃we　don't　need　to　worry　about　an　attack　from　Chinese　fighters　from　outside　the　country？〃　
　〃If　the　Russians　do　their　job　and　keep　the　Chinese　on　their　toes；〃　Seng　said；　〃your　role　right　now　seems　to　be　to　provide　close　air　support　for　the　Dungkar　forces。〃　
　〃I'll　do　what　I　can；〃　Gunderson　said；　climbing　into　the　side　door　of　the　cargo　plane。　
　〃Good；〃　Seng　said；　patting　the　side　of　the　plane。　〃Now　get　to　workthe　boss　is　ing。〃　
　At　just　that　second；　Adams　pulled　the　collective　and　the　Chinese　helicopter　lifted　from　the　ground。　The　helicopter　wobbled　a　little　as　Adams　fought　to　get　the　feel；　then　it　moved　forward；　broke　through　the　ground　effect；　and　headed　in　the　direction　of　Lhasa。　
　Gunderson　walked　up　the　slope　to　the　cockpit；　slid　into　his　seat；　then　began　the　engine…starting　procedure。　Once　the　pair　of　engines　were　running　smoothly；　he　glanced　back　to　the　four　Dungkar　soldiers　manning　the　gun　in　the　rear。　
　〃Okay；　men；〃　he　shouted　over　the　noise　of　the　engines；　〃I'll　tell　you　when　and　where　to　direct　the　fire。　For　right　now；　we're　just　taking　a　little　flight。〃　
　That　sounded　simple　enoughbut　not　one　of　the　Tibetans　had　ever　been　inside　a　plane　before。　
　
　ON　BOARD　THE　Oregon；　Hanley　stood　above　the　microphone　and　talked　in　a　clear　voice。　
　〃I　just　sent　word　to　your　contact；〃　he　said。　〃Watch　for　red　strobes　as　your　signal。〃　
　〃Same　spot　as　we　had　first　planned？〃　Murphy　asked。　〃Yes；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Now　as　far　as　Gurt　is　concerned；　we　talked　to　Huxley。　You　need　to　apply　direct　pressure　to　the　wound　as　soon　as　possible。〃　
　〃Do　you　have　us　on　satellite　surveillance？〃　Murphy　asked。　
　〃Yes；〃　Hanley　said；　staring　at　the　screen。　〃You're　about　five　minutes　from　the　rendezvous　point。〃　
　〃We'll　report　back　once　we　land；〃　Murphy　said。　
　The　radio　went　dead。　Hanley　dialed　Seng　and　waited　while　it　rang。　
　
　BRIKTIN　GAMPO　CHECKED　to　make　sure　the　strobes　were　flashing；　then　stared　up　at　the　sky。　The　clouds　were　low；　almost　a　fog；　but　from　second　to　second　they　would　shift；　revealing　patches　of　open　air。　In　the　distance　he　could　hear　a　helicopter　approaching。　He　walked　back　inside；　stirred　a　pot　of　tea　on　the　stove；　then　went　back　out　to　await　the　arrival。　
　〃I　see　one；〃　Murphy　said；　pointing。　
　In　the　last　few　minutes；　Gurt's　face　had　turned　ashen。　Murphy　could　see　beads　of　sweat　on　his　forehead；　and　his　hand　controlling　the　helicopter　was　shaking。　
　〃Hold　on；〃　Murphy　said；　〃we're　almost　there。〃
　〃I'm　starting　to　see　black　on　the　edges　of　my　eyes；〃　Gurt　said。　〃You　might　need　to　guide　me　on　where　to　land。〃　
　
　THE　SOUND　OF　the　cargo　plane　lifting　off　was　loud。　Eddie　Seng　was　forced　to　yell　into　the　telephone。　〃How　bad　is　it？〃　he　asked　Hanley。　
　〃We　don't　know；〃　Hanley　said；　〃but　we　should　dispatch　someone　nowthe　flight　north　takes　a　couple　of　hours。　If　the　support　is　not　needed；　we　can　call　it　back。〃
　〃Got　it；〃　Seng　said。　
　Then　he　walked　toward　the　makeshift　clinic　to　see　if　Huxley　had　found　anyone　trained　in　nursing　to　fly　along。　Five　minutes　later；　he　had　a　helicopter　refueled；　a　Tibetan　soldier　with　a　limited　nursing　background；　and　supplies　in　the　air。　
　
　YOU'RE　CLOSE　ENOUGH；　Gurt；〃　Murphy　said；　〃and　you're　about　twelve　feet　above　the　ground。〃　
　Gurt　started　to　descend；　then　vomited　across　the　dashboard　of　the　Bell。　〃In　case　I　can't；　when　that　gauge　reads　green；〃　he　said；　wiping　the　sleeve　of　his　flight　suit　across　his　mouth；　〃flick　these　three　switches　down。　That　will　shut　down　the　turbines。〃　
　Six　feet　above　the　ground　in　a　slow　descent；　Gurt　paused　and　hovered　for　a　second；　then　took　her　the　rest　of　the　way　to　the　ground。　As　soon　as　the　helicopter　settled　on　the　skids；　he　slumped　over　in　the　harness　and　sat　unmoving。　
　Murphy　started　to　unsnap　him　from　the　belt　as　he　waited　for　the　helicopter　to　cool；　then　turned　the　engines　off　and　waited　for　the　rotor　to　stop　spinning。　Then　he　quickly　climbed　from　his　seat　and　raced　around　to　the　pilot's　door。　With　Gampo's　help；　they　carried　Gurt　inside　the　tent。　
　Then　Murphy　began　to　cut　off　his　flight　suit　with　a　knife。　
　The　cloth　was　saturated　by　blood　and　the　wound　was　still　leaking。　
　
　〃SIR；〃　THE　PILOT　of　the　Gulfstream　said；　〃we're　on　final　approach。〃　
　Cabrillo　stared　out　the　window。　Smoke　was　still　rising　from　the　burning　wreckage　at　the　far　end　of　Gonggar　Airport。　The　sun　was　over　the　horizon　and　he　could　just　catch　sight　of　Lhasa　sixty　miles　distant。　Staring　up　the　aisle；　through　the　open　cockpit　door　and　out　the　windshield；　he　could　see　a　lumbering　silver　plane　some　seventy　feet　above　the　runway　climbing　out　and　away。　On　the　ground　were　several　trucks　driving　down　the　road　away　from　the　airfield。　
　They　were　a　hundred　feet　above　the　runway　and　two　hundred　yards　downwind。　Two　minutes　later；　the　tires　touched　the　tarmac　with　a　squeal。　The　pilot　taxied　off　the　runway　near　the　terminal　and　stopped。　The　turbines　were　still　spinning　when　Cabrillo　climbed　out。　
　
　CHAIRMAN　ZHUREN　HAD　tape　across　his　eyes　and　his　wrists　were　taped　behind　his　back。　The　dark…haired　man　that　had　burst　into　his　bedroom　was　pulling　him　quickly　along。　Zhuren　could　hear　a　noisy　crowd　of　people　nearby。　Then　distant　gunfire　rang　out　from　a　few　blocks　away。　
　The　thumping　of　a　distant　helicopter　grew　louder。　
　King　watched　through　the　scope　as　Reyes　led　Zhuren　through　the　crowd。　He　could　see　Reyes　ordering　the　Dungkar　soldiers　with　him　to　clear　the　people　away　from　the　landing　zone。　Turning；　he　glanced　from　his　perch　a　few　blocks　away　to　where　the　armored　personnel　carriers　were　approaching。　Crowds　of　Tibetans　were　trying　to　stop　them　but　they　were　being　felled　by　bursts　of　machine…gun　fire。　The　lead　APC　was　ing　down　a　narrow　street；　with　Tibetans　fleeing　from　the　front。　He　watched　as　it　ran　over　the　fallen　body　of　a　Tibetan　freedom　fighter。　It　flattened　the　body　like　a　frog　on　a　train　track。　
　Reaching　into　his　bag；　he　removed　a　belt　of　ammunition　containing　armor…piercing　rounds　and　slid　them　into　the　。50。　The　helicopter　was　just　about　to　touch　down　when　he　started　firing。　
　Ten　shots　in　seven　seconds。　Ten　more　for　good　measure。　
　The　lead　APC　ground　to　a　halt。　The　ones　to　the　rear　stopped　also。　
　The　sound　of　the　helicopter　was　loud　in　Zhuren's　ears。　He　felt　himself　being　pulled　from　inside　and　pushed　from　outside　into　a　seat；　then　he　felt　someone　slide　in　next　to　him。　He　sniffed　the　air。　It　was　the　dark…haired　man；　the　man　who　had　yanked　him　from　safety　into　the　unknown。　
　The　helicopter　lifted　off。　
　〃They　will　hover　above　us　and　we'll　climb　inside；〃　King　said　to　his　Dungkar　assistant。　
　〃Mr。　Sir；〃　the　Tibetan　said；　〃can　I　stay？〃　
　〃What's　your　plan？〃　King　asked。　
　The　Tibetan　pointed　to　where　his　countrymen　were　swarming　over　the　disabled　APC。　
　The　helicopter　was　almost　to　the　rooftop。　King　reached　into　his　satchel　and　removed　a　black　cloth　bag。　〃These　are　hand　grenades；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　know　how　they　work？〃　
　〃Pull　the　metal　thing　and　run？〃　the　Dungkar　said；　smiling。　〃You　got　it；〃　King　said；　〃but　keep　your　people　back　when　you　use　themthese　will　shred　a　human　like　cheese　in　a　grater。〃　
　The　helicopter　was　above　the　rooftop　and　lowering　down。　The　Tibetan　grabbed　the　bag　and　started　for　the　ladder　down。　〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　the　Dungkar　soldier　shouted。　〃Good　luck；〃　King　shouted　as　a　pair　of　hands　from　inside　the　helicopter　reached　for　him　and　he　stepped　up　onto　the　skid；　then　ducked　down　and　climbed　inside。　
　〃How's　things？〃　Reyes　shouted　after　the　door　was　closed　and　the　helicopter　had　turned　back　toward　Gonggar　Airport。　
　〃You　know　what　they　say；〃　King　said　wearily。　〃We　do　more　before　lunch　than　most　people　do　all　day。〃　
　
　〃MR。　SENG；〃　CABRILLO　said；　〃excellent　job　so　far。〃　A　cold　wind　was　blowing　from　the　north。　It　bore　the　scent　of　forests　and　glaciers；　aviation　fuel　and　gunpowder。　Cabrillo　zipped　the　leather　jacket　he　was　wearing　tighter　around　his　neck；　then　reached　in　his　rear　pocket　and　removed　a　carefully　folded　white　handkerchief　and　dabbed　his　nose；　which　was　running。　
　〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　Seng　said。　〃Here's　the　most　current　situation　report。　Murphy　and　the　contract　pilot　managed　to　get　the　charges　placed　and　cause　the　avalanche　at　the　pass。　Any　Chinese　armor　is　now　effectively　immobilized。　Even　if　they　decided　to　ignore　the　Russian　advance　and　try　to　return　to　Lhasa　now；　their　only　route　would　cost　them　at　least　forty…eight　hours　of　transit　time；　and　that　is　z/the　weather　holds。〃
　〃Problems　with　that　operation？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　〃The　contract　pilot；　one　Gurt　Guenther；　was　hit　by　small…arms　fire；〃　Seng　said。　〃The　extent　of　his　injuries　is　unknown。〃　
　〃You've　dispatched　backup？〃　
　〃A　relief　helicopter　with　Kasim　aboard　is　en　route；〃　Seng　said；　〃but　they　made　it　to　the　fuel