cc.goldenbuddha-第60部分

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　〃A　relief　helicopter　with　Kasim　aboard　is　en　route；〃　Seng　said；　〃but　they　made　it　to　the　fuel　stop　and　managed　to　land；　so　Guenther　might　not　be　too　critical。　The　way　it　stands　now　is　that　if　Murphy's　team　can　fly　themselves　out；　we　can　call　back　Kasim。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃We　might　just　need　him　here。〃　
　〃Speaking　of　the　weather；〃　Seng　said；　〃we　are　going　to　catch　a　late　spring　storm　this　afternoon；　then　it　will　clear　for　tomorrow　and　the　next　few　days。　The　estimate　is　two　to　three　inches　of　snow；　and　for　the　temperature　to　go　below　freezing　before　a　slow　warming　trend。〃　
　〃The　weather　has　the　same　impact　on　us　as　on　the　Chinese；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃but　it　is　a　possible　advantage　for　the　Dungkar　forces。　We'll　score　it　in　Tibet's　favor。〃　
　From　far　in　the　east　came　the　sound　of　an　approaching　helicopter。　Cabrillo　stared　in　the　distance　and　tried　to　make　out　which　type　it　was。　
　〃That's　one　of　ours；　sir；〃　Seng　said。　〃It　contains　Reyes；　King　and　Legchog　Zhuren。〃　
　〃Excellent。〃　
　The　two　men　started　walking　closer　to　the　terminal。　Zhuren　would　end　up　there　soon　enough。　
　〃We　have　managed　to　field　an　attack　helicopter　liberated　from　the　Chinese　and　piloted　by　Mr。　Adams。　Also　a　cargo　plane　we　modified　into　a　gunship　with　Gunderson　at　the　controls；　as　well　as　the　rental　Bells　and　the　Predator。〃　
　〃An　excellent　air　armada　for　the　newly　resurrected　Tibetan　military；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Everything　else　in　the　plan　has　taken　place　at　the　correct　time；〃　Seng　said；　〃but　there　is　one　problem　that　has　arisen。　I　discovered　it　when　questioning　a　captured　Chinese　lieutenant。〃　
　〃What？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Because　the　Chinese　troops　in　Tibet　have　always　been　outnumbered；〃　Seng　said；　〃if　they　were　overrunand　I　mean　a　Broken　Arrow　situation；　no　hope　at　allthe　plan　called　for　them　to　gas　the　Tibetan　rebels　with　an　airborne　paralyzing　agent。〃　
　〃The　drums　must　be　marked　with　some　symbols；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃We'll　just　call　Washington　and　receive　remendations　for　how　to　
　disable　it。〃　
　〃That's　the　problem；〃　Seng　said　loudly　over　the　sound　of　the　helicopter　hovering　to　land。　〃The　lieutenant　doesn't　know　where　it　was　stored。　He　only　knows　it　exists。〃　
　Cabrillo　reached　into　his　coat　pocket　and　removed　a　Cuban　cigar。　Biting　off　the　end；　he　spit　the　plug　to　the　side；　then　reached　for　a　Zippo　lighter　with　the　other　hand　and　did　a　single…hand　light。　He　puffed　the　cigar　to　life　before　speaking。　
　〃I　have　a　feeling；　Mr。　Seng；　it's　going　to　be　a　long　day。〃　
　
　MURPHY　WAS　ANGRY。　Gampo　had　left　him　alone　in　the　tent　with　a　weak　and　bleeding　Gurt。　If　this　was　the　way　the　feared　Dung…kar　reacted　to　blood；　they'd　lose　this　war　before　it　ever　started。　The　Oregon　was　sending　help；　but　even　at　the　fastest　cruising　speed　the　Bell　could　fly；　that　would　be　hours　away。　Gurt；　his　friend　and　fellow　warrior；　was　growing　weaker　by　the　minute。　His　skin　was　an　ugly　gray　and　he　was　drifting　in　and　out　of　consciousness。　
　Just　then　the　flap　of　the　tent　was　pulled　back　and　Gampo　entered。　He　was　carrying　a　handful　of　long…bladed　grass　clippings　in　one　hand　and　what　looked　like　a　wet　dirt　clod　in　the　other；　and　under　his　chin　was　a　chunk　of　meat　from　some　unspecified　beast。　〃Where　the　hell　did　you　go？〃　Murphy　said。　
　〃Stir　the　fire　in　the　stove；〃　Gampo　said　quietly；　setting　down　the　grass　and　mud；　〃then　add　these　to　the　fire；〃　he　added；　removing　a　leather　pouch　with　powdered　minerals　inside。　〃We　need　a　good　amount　of　smoke　inside　the　tent。　Once　you　have　that　done；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　meat；　〃cook　that　in　with　the　tea　and　make　me　a　meat　broth。〃　Murphy　stared　at　Gampo　as　if　he　were　crazy。　
　But　the　Tibetan　was　already　busy　cleaning　and　bandaging　Gurt's　wound；　so　Murphy　did　as　he　was　told。　Two　minutes　later；　the　tent　was　filled　with　a　smoke　that　smelled　somewhat　like　cinnamon　cloves　washed　in　lemon。　Three　more　minutes　and　Gampo　stood　upright　and　stared　at　Murphy。　Then　he　motioned　to　help　him　prop　Gurt　up。　The　grass　and　mud　had　dried　into　a　pair　of　oblong　bandages　front　and　rear。　They　adhered　to　his　skin　like　plaster　of　paris　laced　with　glue。　Gurt's　eyes　began　to　flicker　open　and　he　drew　a　few　deep　breaths。　
　〃Give　him　the　broth　of　the　bear；〃　Gampo　said。　〃I'll　go　gas　up　your　flying　ship。〃　
　
　JUST　ACROSS　THE　border　of　Russia　and　Mongolia；　General　Alexander　Kernetsikov　was　breathing　deeply　of　the　diesel…smoke…tinged　air。　After　leaving　Novosibirsk；　his　tank　column　had　blown　through　the　Altai　Region　like　a　top…fueler　down　a　drag　strip。　Kernetsikov　was　riding　in　the　lead　tank　with　his　head　out　of　a　forward　hatch。　He　was　wearing　a　helmet　with　a　headset　so　he　could　municate　with　his　other　officers；　and　a　uniform　with　enough　ribbons　to　decorate　a　Christmas　tree。　In　his　mouth　was　an　unlit　Cuban　cigar。　In　his　hand　was　a　GPS　that　he　was　using　to　track　the　column's　speed。　
　The　distance　to　the　Tibet　border　was　five　hundred　miles。　They　were　traveling　at　thirty…five　miles　per　hour。　
　Kernetsikov　stared　overhead　as　a　flight　of　fighters　crisscrossed　high　in　the　air　above。　Then　he　called　his　intelligence　officer　over　the　radio　to　learn　what　was　new。　The　weather　was　due　to　change　to　snow　sometime　in　the　next　few　hours。　Other　than　that；　all　was　the　same。　
　
　IN　MACAU；　SUNG　Rhee　was　reaching　the　end　of　his　patience。　
　Marcus　Friday　had　learned　that　his　plane　had　been　found　and　had　ordered　it　to　return　to　pick　him　up　and　fly　him　out　of　the　city。　Stanley　Ho　was　still　angry　about　the　theft　of　his　priceless　Buddha。　The　later　discovery　that　the　one　Friday　had　recovered　was　fake　just　added　to　his　rage。　
　After　the　Chinese　navy　had　realized　that　the　cargo　ship　they　had　illegally　stopped　on　the　high　seas　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　incident　in　Macau；　they　had　broadened　their　circle　of　observation　and　tracked　the　Oregon　to　Vietnam。　
　Po　had　made　a　few　calls　to　a　friend　he　knew　in　the　Da　Nang　police　department　and　learned　that　a　C…130　had　left　Da　Nang　for　Bhutan。　A　few　more　calls　and　some　wired　bribes　had　led　him　to　a　rumor　that　the　group　that　had　stolen　the　statue　was　on　their　way　to　Tibet。　
　Po　was　a　Chinese　police　officer　and　Tibet　was　a　Chinese　region；　so　Po　had　decided　to　follow　the　trail。　Flying　from　Macau　to　Chengdu；　he　had　arrived　on　the　last　flight　in　Gonggar　yesterday　evening。　By　the　time　he'd　arrived　at　the　office　of　the　Public　Security　Bureau；　Tibet's　police　force；　it　was　closed。　So　he'd　checked　into　a　hotel　and　waited　for　morning。　
　This　morning　was　chaotic　in　Lhasa；　but　he'd　managed　to　meet　with　the　chief　of　police　and　requisitioned　half　a　dozen　men　to　help　his　investigation　before　the　street　fighting　escalated。　By　now；　he'd　figured　out　which　of　the　band　members　had　been　the　ringleader。　The　memory　of　Cabrillo's　face　on　the　tape　from　the　single　security　camera　that　had　worked　had　burned　a　hole　in　his　brain　that　only　death　or　insanity　would　erase。　
　Po　set　out　to　see　if　he　could　find　his　targethe　had　no　idea　of　the　impending　war。　
　As　Po　and　the　other　policemen　loaded　into　a　large　six…passenger　truck　to　scour　Lhasa；　the　Chinese　military　officers　were　beginning　to　realize　the　gravity　of　the　situation。　They　started　to　assemble　to　exert　control　over　the　city　and　crush　the　rebel　forces。　
　The　Dungkar　started　their　plan　in　motion　as　well。　
　
　TIME　WAS　OF　the　essence　and　Cabrillo　had　none　to　spare。　For　a　man　that　had　been　yanked　from　sleep；　bound　and　transported　south　to　the　airport　under　guard；　Legchog　Zhuren　was　surprisingly　bel　
　ligerent。　Cabrillo　had　first　tried　to　appeal　to　Zhuren's　sense　of　goodness；　asking　him　just　to　explain　the　procedure　for　the　poison　gas　and　where　the　stockpiles　were　located；　but　Zhuren　had　spit　in　his　face　and　puffed　up　his　chest。　
　It　was　obvious　that　goodness　was　not　a　quality　Zhuren　cherished。　
　〃Tape　him；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　Up　until　this　second；　Cabrillo　had　tried　to　show　respect　by　allowing　Zhuren　to　simply　sit　in　the　chair　in　front　of　himnow　it　was　time　to　learn　what　he　needed；　and　for　that　the　Chinese　leader　would　need　to　be　secured。　Seng　and　Gannon　wrapped　his　arms　and　legs　with　duct　tape　and　secured　him　to　the　chair。　
　〃Prepare　the　juice；〃　Cabrillo　said　to　Huxley。　
　〃What　are　you〃　Zhuren　started　to　say。　
　〃I　asked　you　nice；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃to　help　me　save　both　the　Chinese　in　Tibet　as　well　as　the　Tibetan　nationals。　You　didn't　seem　to　want　to　cooperate。　We　have　a　little　serum　that　will　help　to　loosen　your　tongue。　Trust　me；　you'll　tell　us　everything；　from　your　first　conscious　memory　to　the　last　time　you　had　sex。　The　only　problem　is　this：　
　We　cannot　always　get　the　dosage　right。　Too　much　and　we　erase　your　memory　like　a　wet　cloth　across　a　chalkboard。　Usually　we　gradually　increase　the　dosage　to　try　and　avoid　thatbut　you're　a　prick；　so　I　think　we'll　bypass　that　step。〃　
　〃You're　lying；〃　Zhuren　said　in　a　voice　showing　fear。　
　〃Ms。　Huxley；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃twenty　cc's　in　the　lieutenant's　arm；　please。〃　
　Huxley　walked　over　to　where　the　Chinese　army　lieutenant　was　still　bound　to　his　chair。　She　squirted　some　of　the　liquid　in　the　air　until　she　had　the　correct　amount；　then　with　her　other　hand　wiped　an　alcohol　swab　across　his　upper　arm；　then　plunged　the　needle　into　a　vein。　Cabrillo　watched　the　second　hand　of　his　watch　as　fifteen　seconds　passed。　
　〃Name　and　where　you　were　born；　please；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　The　lieutenant　rattled　off　the　information　like　his　tongue　was　on　fire。　
　〃What　is　the　total　troop　strength　inside　Lhasa？〃　
　〃There　were　eighty…four　hundred　approximate　troops；〃　the　lieutenant　said。　〃Just　over　six　thousand　were　sent　north　toward　Mongolia。　That　leaves　around　twenty…four　hundred。　Of　those；　some　two　hundred　fifty　were　sick　or　injured。　The　remaining　troops　are　pany　S；　pany　L〃　
　〃That's　enough；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃I　don't　mind；〃　the　lieutenant　said；　smiling。　〃We　have　the　following　armor。　Four　T…59〃　
　〃That's　fine；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　Zhuren　stared　at　the　lieutenant　in　horror。　
　〃Ms。　Huxley；〃　Cabrillo　said　slowly。　〃Prepare　one　hundred　cc's。〃　
　Zhuren　started　talking　and　it　was　nearly　a　half　hour　before　he　finished。　
　Cabrillo　was　scanning　the　notes　of　Zhuren's　disclosures。　He　turned　to　Seng；　pointed　out　a　spot　on　the　map；　and　then　examined　a　satellite　photograph　of　the　area。　
　〃I　want　to　lead　this　one　myself；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃I'll　need　a　dozen　men；　air　cover　and　som