cc.goldenbuddha-第13节

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　〃The　jalapeno　cheese　grits　alone　were　worth　waking　up　for；〃　Hanley　noted。　〃I　just　wish　the　chef　would　have　consulted　with　my　ex…wife。　I　might　still　be　married。〃　
　〃How's　the　divorce　going？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Pretty　good；〃　Hanley　admitted；　〃considering　my　reported　ine　last　year　was　only　thirty　thousand　dollars。〃　
　〃Just　be　fair；〃　Cabrillo　cautioned。　〃I　don't　want　any　lawyers　snooping　around。〃　
　〃You　know　I　will；〃　Hanley　said　as　he　refilled　their　coffee　cups　from　a　silver　thermal　carafe　on　the　table。　〃I'm　just　waiting　for　Jeanie　to　calm　down。〃　
　WHEN　THE　OREGON　had　been　refitted　by　the　Corporation　in　the　shipyard　in　Odessa；　two　decks　had　been　installed　inside　the　hull；　giving　the　interior　a　total　of　three　levels；　not　including　the　raised　pilothouse。　The　lowest　level　housed　the　engines　and　physical　plants；　along　with　the　moon　pool；　machine　shops；　armory　and　storage　rooms。　One　level　above；　reached　by　metal　stairs　or　the　single　heavy…lift　elevator　amidships；　was　the　deck　containing　munications；　weapon　systems；　a　variety　of　shops　and　offices；　a　large　library；　a　puter　room　and　a　map　room。　The　third　level　housed　the　dining　room；　recreation　rooms；　a　full　gym；　plus　crew　cabins　and　meeting　and　boardrooms。　Level　three　was　surrounded　by　a　two…lane　running　track　for　exercise。　The　Oregon　was　a　city　unto　itself。　
　Hanley　walked　from　the　dining　room　and　across　the　running　track；　then　eschewed　the　elevators　for　the　stairs。　Opening　the　door；　he　started　down。　The　stairway　was　paneled　with　mahogany　and　lit　by　sconces。　At　the　bottom　Hanley　stepped　onto　a　thick　carpet　in　a　room　with　insets　in　the　walls　that　held　plaques　and　medals　awarded　by　grateful　customers　and　nations　to　the　men　and　women　of　the　Oregon。　
　He　made　his　way　forward　toward　the　bow　until　the　walls　in　the　hallway　turned　to　glass　on　the　port　side。　Behind　the　glass　was　what　could　have　passed　for　a　Hollywood　costume　and　set　shop。　Kevin　Nixon　raised　his　head　and　waved。　
　
　Hanley　opened　the　door　to　the　shop　and　entered。　It　was　cool　inside　and　the　air　was　scented　with　the　smells　of　grease；　vinyl　and　wax。　A　Willie　Nelson　CD　was　seeping　from　hidden　speakers。　〃How　long　have　you　been　here？〃　Hanley　asked。　Nixon　was　sitting　on　a　three…legged　stool　in　front　of　a　metal…framed；　wood…topped　workbench　that　had　a　ring　of　hand　tools　around　the　perimeter。　In　his　hands　he　held　an　ornamental　headdress　with　silken　gold　fabric　that　flowed　down　his　right　side　to　the　floor。　
　〃Two　hours；〃　he　said。　〃I　woke　up　early；　checked　my　e…mail　and　got　the　preliminary　specs。〃　
　〃Did　you　eat　breakfast？〃　Hanley　asked。　
　〃I　just　grabbed　some　fruit；〃　Nixon　said。　〃I　need　to　drop　ten　pounds　or　so。〃　
　Nixon　was　a　big　man；　but　he　carried　his　weight　well。　If　you　saw　him　on　the　street；　you　would　think　him　stocky　but　not　fat。　But　he　was　in　a　constant　battle；　his　weight　running　from　240　pounds　to　210；　depending　on　his　vigilance。　Last　summer；　when　he'd　taken　a　few　weeks　off　and　hiked　the　Appalachian　Trail；　he'd　gotten　down　to　200；　but　his　sedentary　life　aboard　ship　and　the　charms　of　the　chef's　cooking　had　caught　up　to　him。　
　Hanley　walked　over　to　the　bench　and　stared　at　Nixon's　work。　〃That's　religious　garb？〃　
　〃For　a　Macanese　in　a　Good　Friday　parade；　it　is。〃　
　〃We'll　need　a　total　of　six　sets；〃　Hanley　said。　
　Nixon　nodded。　〃I　figured　two　shaman　and　four　penitents。〃　
　Hanley　walked　over　to　the　wall；　where　several　more　benches　were　abutting　the　bulkhead。　〃I'm　going　to　start　on　the　masks。〃　
　Nixon　nodded　and　reached　for　a　remote　control　for　the　CD　player。　He　punched　a　button　and　Willie　stopped。　Johnny　Rivers's　〃Secret　Agent　Man〃　began　to　play。　
　〃Kevin；〃　Hanley　said　easily；　〃you　just　love　to　do　that；　don't　you？〃　
　〃There's　a　man　who　lives　a　life　of　danger；〃　Nixon　sang　in　a　baritone。　
　
　TRUITT　SENT　A　map　showing　the　parade　route　for　Good　Friday；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃We　lucked　outtraffic　in　the　downtown　area　will　be　at　a　standstill。〃　
　Eddie　Seng　reached　across　the　table　for　one　of　the　folders。　〃It's　surprising　that　the　Chinese　would　have　such　a　large　celebration　for　something　that　concerns　Christianity。〃　
　〃Macau　was　a　Portuguese　possession　from　1537　until　1999；〃　Linda　Ross　noted。　〃Roughly　thirty　thousand　of　the　population　is　Catholic。〃　
　〃Plus　the　Chinese　love　festivals；〃　Mark　Murphy　said。　〃They'll　form　a　parade　at　the　drop　of　a　hat。〃　
　〃Truitt　said　they　are　going　to　do　the　same　as　last　year　and　put　on　a　massive　fireworks　display　over　the　city；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃fired　from　a　series　of　barges　in　the　bay。〃　
　〃So　the　cover　of　night　and　a　waning　moon　no　longer　apply；〃　Franklin　Lincoln　noted。　
　Lincoln's　friend　Hali　Kasim　couldn't　resist。　〃A　real　shame；　Frankie　you　blend　in　so　well　when　the　sky　is　dark。〃　
　Lincoln　turned　toward　Kasim　and　brushed　his　nose　with　his　middle　finger。　〃That's　okay；　Kaz；　the　fireworks　also　make　it　harder　for　you　lily…white　Hugh　Grant　types。〃　
　〃There's　still　the　question　of　weight；〃　Cabrillo　said；　ignoring　the　exchange。　〃The　Golden　Buddha　weighs　six　hundred　pounds。〃　
　〃Four　men　on　each　side　could　lift　that　weight　without　too　much　strain　on　their　backs；〃　Julia　Huxley　said。　
　〃I　think　I'll　have　Hanley　and　Nixon　fabricate　something；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Any　suggestions？〃　
　The　crew　continued　planning　the　operationMacau　was　just　about　a　day's　sail　away。　
　
　THE　CHAIRMAN　OF　the　Tibet　Autonomous　Region；　Legchog　Raidi　Zhuren；　was　reading　a　report　on　the　fighting　just　across　the　border　in　Nepal。　Last　night；　government　forces　had　killed　nearly　three　hundred　Maoist　insurgents。　The　ferocity　of　the　attacks　on　the　munist　rebels　had　been　increasing　since　spring　2002。　After　several　years　of　growing　rebel　activity；　the　Nepalese　government　had　begun　to　feel　threatened　and　finally　started　to　take　firm　action。　The　United　States　had　sent　army　Green　Beret　advisors　to　the　area　to　coordinate　strikes；　and　almost　immediately　the　body　count　had　begun　to　grow。　
　To　prevent　the　fighting　from　spilling　over　across　the　border　into　Tibet；　Zhuren　had　needed　to　call　Beijing　for　additional　troops　to　station　them　on　the　high　mountain　passes　that　led　from　Nepal　to　Tibet。　President　Jintao　had　not　been　happy　about　the　development。　In　the　first　place；　the　cost　to　secure　Tibet　was　increasing　at　a　time　the　president　wanted　to　cut　costs。　In　the　second　place；　the　Special　Forces　advisors　added　a　dimension　of　danger　to　the　mission。　If　a　single　American　soldier　was　wounded　or　killed　by　Chinese　forces　protecting　the　Tibet　border；　Jintao　was　worried　the　situation　might　spiral　out　of　control　and　China　would　be　embroiled　in　another　Korea。　
　What　Legchog　Zhuren　did　not　know　was　that　Jintao　was　starting　to　consider　Tibet　more　of　a　liability　than　an　asset。　The　timing　was　critical　if　the　Tibetan　people　launched　a　popular　uprising　right　now；　China　might　have　another　Tiananmen　Square　on　its　hands；　and　the　world　mood　was　not　the　same　as　in　1989。　With　the　fall　of　munism　in　the　Soviet　Union　and　their　increasingly　close　relations　with　the　United　States；　any　heavy…handed　action　against　the　Tibetan　population　might　be　met　with　force　from　two　fronts。　
　American　forces　could　be　launched　from　carriers　in　the　Bay　of　Bengal　and　from　bases　in　occupied　Afghanistan；　while　Russian　ground　forces　could　sweep　in　from　the　republics　of　Kyrgyzstan　and　Kazakhstan；　as　well　as　the　area　of　far　eastern　Russia　where　it　bordered　northern　Tibet。　Then　there　would　be　a　free…for…all。　
　And　for　what？　A　small；　poor　mountain　country　China　had　illegally　occupied？　
　The　reward　didn't　equal　the　risk。　Jintao　needed　to　find　faceand　he　needed　it　fast。　
　
　Macau　and　into　the　United　States；　would　run　him　another　million　or　so。　As　a　result；　right　at　this　instant；　for　all　practical　purposes；　Spenser　was　broke。　
　The　art　dealer　had　tapped　all　his　available　savings　and　business　lines　of　credit　to　fund　his　nefarious　operationif　he　didn't　have　the　mission　check　lying　before　him　on　the　table；　he'd　be　in　trouble。　If　Spenser　had　not　been　pletely　certain　he　had　a　buyer　for　the　Golden　Buddha；　he　might　be　worried。　Tearing　the　slip　of　paper　from　the　pad；　he　tore　the　note　into　tiny　pieces；　tossed　the　pieces　in　the　toilet　and　flushed。　Then　he　poured　himself　half　a　glass　of　Scotch　to　calm　his　trembling　hands。　It　had　taken　Spenser　a　lifetime　to　build　his　reputation　and　if　his　crime　was　known；　it　would　be　gone　in　seconds。　
　Money　and　gold　can　make　men　do　strange　things。　
　
　WINSTON　SPENSER　TOOK　his　pen　to　paper　to　tally　his　ill…gotten　gains。　The　3　percent　mission　on　the　original　200　million　sale　of　the　Golden　Buddha　was　6　million。　This　was　hardly　a　small　sum。　In　fact；　it　was　just　over　five　times　Spenser's　ine　last　yearbut　it　was　a　drop　in　the　bucket　pared　to　the　money　he　was　about　to　collect　for　selling　it　again。　
　In　the　first　place；　against　the　6　million　mission　check；　he　had　the　cost　of　the　decoy。　The　fabricators　in　Thailand　had　charged　nearly　a　million　for　that。　In　the　second　place；　the　pany　he'd　had　hired　in　Geneva　to　transport　the　Golden　Buddha　to　Macau　and　provide　armored…car　service　to　A…Ma　had　charged　too　much；　a　flat　fee　of　1　million　for　their　services；　while　Spenser　had　quoted　the　billionaire　a　cost　of　one…tenth　of　that　so　as　not　to　arouse　suspicion。　Bribes　now；　and　in　the　next　few　days；　when　Spenser　was　planning　to　transport　the　original　o