cc.goldenbuddha-第45节

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only　would　we　lose　the　men　in　the　tunnel；　but　the　rescue　crew　as　well。〃
　〃I　know；　Max；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃You're　just　following　the　book。〃
　The　two　men　stared　at　one　another　for　a　moment。　Then　Eric　Stone　spoke。　　
　〃Sirs；〃　Stone　said；　pointing　at　a　screen；　〃we　just　detected　a　shock　wave　from　an　explosion。〃　
　
　MURPHY　HAD　THE　throttle　on　the　Zodiac　as　far　forward　as　she　would　go。　The　trio　of　boats　was　rocketing　down　the　tunnel　leading　out　to　the　bay。　They　were　only　ten　feet　ahead　of　the　approaching　wave　from　the　explosion；　but　now　that　they　were　at　full　speed；　the　margin　was　remaining　constant。　
　〃Try　to　reach　Seng　on　the　radio；〃　Murphy　shouted　over　the　noise；　〃and　tell　him　what's　happening。〃
　Kasim　nodded　and　reached　for　the　microphone。　〃Eddie；〃　he　shouted　into　the　microphone；　〃we　have　the　target　with　us。　Clear　away　from　the　openingwe're　ing　out　hot。〃
　〃Got　it；〃　Seng　shouted　from　just　outside　the　pipe。　A　few　minutes　before；　Seng　and　Huxley　had　heard　the　rumble　from　the　explosion　and　had　climbed　aboard　the　second　Zodiac。　They　were　just　backing　away　from　shore　when　Kasim　radioed。　Seng　turned　the　Zodiac　and　then　accelerated　away　into　the　bay。　Once　they　reached　the　edge　of　the　fog　and　rain　band；　he　turned　toward　land　and　pointed　a　spotlight　at　the　outflow　pipe。　
　〃Call　the　Oregon；〃　he　said　to　Huxley；　〃and　report　team　two　is　on　their　way　out。〃　
　
　THE　PILOT　BOAT　pulled　alongside　the　Oregon。　A　single　tugboat　hovered　nearby；　awaiting　instructions　from　the　pilot。　The　pilot　climbed　off　his　boat　at　a　boarding　ladder；　made　his　way　on　deck；　and　then　stared　around。　The　upper　deck　was　a　tangled　mess　of　rusting　equipment　and　cables。　He　stared　above；　where　the　smokestack　was　polluting　the　air　around　the　slip　with　smoky；　oily　fumes。　This　was　a　ship　begging　to　be　put　out　of　her　misery　at　a　scrapyard。　〃What　a　pile　of　junk；〃　the　pilot　muttered　to　himself。　
　〃A　LIGHT　AT　THE　end　of　the　tunnel；〃　Murphy　shouted。　
　A　man　stepped　from　behind　a　pillar。　〃I'm　Captain　Smith；〃　he　said。　〃Wele　aboard。〃　
　The　captain　was　dressed　in　tattered　yellow　rain　slickers　spotted　with　grease　and　dirt。　His　face　had　a　full　beard；　stained　around　the　mouth　by　nicotine；　and　when　Smith　cracked　a　smile；　he　showed　a　forest　of　yellow　stubs。　
　〃I'm　ready　to　guide　you　out；〃　the　pilot　said；　staying　a　safe　distance　away　from　the　man's　odor。　
　〃This　way；〃　the　captain　said；　turning。　
　The　pilot　followed　the　captain　as　he　wove　his　way　around　the　tangled　mess　on　the　decks　to　the　rusted　metal　stair　leading　to　the　pilothouse。　Halfway　up　the　stair；　the　pilot　gripped　for　a　handrail　and　it　came　off　in　his　hand。　
　〃Captain；〃　he　said。　
　Smith　turned；　then　walked　a　few　steps　to　where　the　pilot　was　stopped。　Then　he　took　the　length　of　rusted　pipe　in　his　hand　and　tossed　it　over　his　shoulder　onto　the　cluttered　deck。　
　〃I'll　make　a　note　of　that；〃　he　said；　swiveling　around　again　and　climbing　the　last　few　steps　to　the　pilothouse。　
　The　pilot　shook　his　head。　The　sooner　he　was　off　the　ship；　the　happier　he'd　be。　
　Six　minutes　later；　the　Oregon　was　turned　and　partway　out　of　the　port。　The　pilot　ordered　the　line　from　the　tug　removed　and　the　Oregon　headed　away　from　land　under　her　own　power。　
　To　the　rear　of　the　Oregon；　now　growing　dimmer　in　the　distance；　the　mountain　peak　on　Macau　began　to　recede　in　the　rain　and　fog。　Only　a　few　lights　from　the　airport　remained　in　sight。　
　〃How　long　until　you　can　be　picked　up？〃　Cabrillo　asked　the　pilot。　
　The　pilot　pointed　to　a　channel　marker　thirty　yards　ahead。　The　high…powered　light　was　penetrating　the　gloom。　A　few　more　minutes　and　he　could　be　off　this　beast　of　a　ship。　
　
　The　Zodiac　was　racing　toward　the　bay　just　ahead　of　the　shock　wave　that　would　fill　the　pipe　to　the　top。　Hornsby　was　holding　tight　to　his　raft　and　the　top　of　the　Golden　Buddha；　while　Meadows　gripped　the　side　of　the　Zodiac　and　glanced　down　at　Jones；　who　was　clutching　his　side　in　the　bottom　of　the　raft。　
　〃A　few　more　seconds；　Jonesy；〃　he　shouted；　〃and　we'll　be　in　the　clear。〃　
　Jones　nodded　but　did　not　speak。　
　The　exit　from　the　pipe　was　like　riding　over　a　waterfall　on　a　class　IV　rapid。　The　water　was　spewing　out　of　the　pipe　with　tremendous　force。　The　plume　cascaded　through　the　air　twenty　feet；　then　dropped　seven　feet　down　to　the　water　of　the　bay。　Murphy　held　to　the　wheel　as　the　Zodiac　was　propelled　through　the　air。　As　soon　as　he　felt　the　boat　leave　the　water；　he　pulled　back　on　the　throttle　so　he　wouldn't　over…rev　the　engine；　then　braced　himself　for　the　splashdown。　
　〃Let　go；〃　he　screamed　to　Hornsby　and　Meadows。　The　lines　on　the　two　towed　rafts　were　released　and　they　separated　a　few　feet　from　the　Zodiac　at　the　same　instant　the　wall　of　water　filled　the　pipe；　then　burst　through　the　air　with　tremendous　force。　
　〃Wow；〃　Seng　shouted　at　the　sight　of　the　rafts　squirting　through　the　air。　
　〃Hold　on；〃　Meadows　shouted　to　Jones　as　the　raft　flew　through　the　air；　then　slapped　on　the　surface　of　the　water　before　slowing　almost　to　a　stop。　
　〃Are　you　okay？〃　Meadows　said　a　few　seconds　later。　〃Do　you　need　anything？〃　
　Jones　wiped　the　water　from　his　face；　then　shifted　his　body　to　ease　the　pain　of　his　cracked　ribs　as　the　raft　stopped　in　the　water　and　bobbed。　
　〃I've　been　better；〃　Jones　said。　〃I　think　it　would　help　if　you　would　hum　a　few　bars　of　'Suwannee　River。'〃　
　
　PO　WAS　INSIDE　the　conference　room　with　Rhee；　Ho　and　Marcus　Friday。　A　police　sergeant　entered　and　whispered　in　his　ear。　〃What　the　hell　do　you　mean？〃　he　asked。　
　〃A　few　of　our　people　heard　what　sounded　like　a　helicopter；〃　the　sergeant　said。　〃Now　all　the　waters　around　Macau　are　a　bright　pink　color。〃　
　〃Those　bastards；〃　Po　said。　〃They're　covering　their　tracks。〃　
　〃Who？〃　the　sergeant　asked。　
　〃I　don't　know　who；〃　Po　said；　〃but　I　intend　to　find　out。〃　Po　waved　the　sergeant　away；　then　walked　over　to　Rhee　and　motioned　for　him　to　move　a　few　feet　away　so　they　could　talk　in　private。　Once　he　explained　what　the　sergeant　had　told　him；　Rhee　had　only　one　thing　to　say。　
　〃Seal　the　port；〃　Rhee　said。　〃No　one　in　or　out。〃　
　The　sound　of　a　ship　under　power　came　across　the　water。　〃They're　ing；〃　Seng　said。　
　
　CAPTAIN　SMITH　WALKED　the　pilot　to　the　ladder　leading　down　and　bid　him　farewell。　The　pilot　climbed　down　the　ladder；　then　stepped　across　to　the　pilot　boat；　which　quickly　backed　away　from　the　Oregon。　Smith　watched　the　pilot　boat　accelerate　away　into　the　rain。　
　The　pilot　boat　was　still　visible　when　it　began　to　slow　and　turn。　
　Cabrillo　reached　for　a　tiny　radio　at　his　belt　and　flicked　it　on。　〃Max；〃　he　said　quickly；　〃what's　happening？〃　
　〃The　authorities　have　ordered　the　port　sealed；〃　Hanley　said。　〃The　pilot's　been　ordered　to　bring　us　back　to　port。〃　
　Cabrillo　sprinted　across　the　deck　as　he　spoke。　〃Full　steam　ahead；〃　he　shouted。　〃I'll　be　in　the　control　room　in　a　few　minutes。〃　
　
　　AS　SOON　AS　Kasim　helped　Meadows　and　Jones　aboard　the　Zodiac；　Murphy　slit　the　rubber　raft　with　a　knife。　The　raft　drifted　away　and　began　to　sink。　At　the　same　time；　Seng　and　Huxley　helped　Hornsby　aboard　and　the　three　of　them　wrestled　the　Golden　Buddha　aboard　their　Zodiac。　Murphy　idled　his　boat　close　just　as　they　had　finished　stowing　the　golden　icon　amidships。　
　〃I　just　spoke　to　Hanley；〃　he　said　to　Seng。　〃The　Oregon　is　almost　to　the　outer　buoy。　We　are　supposed　to　rendezvous　with　them　in　open　water。〃　
　Kasim　raised　his　hand　for　quiet　as　the　radio　barked。　He　listened　intently　over　his　earpiece。　
　〃Got　it；〃　he　said。　
　〃That　was　the　Oregon　again；〃　he　said。　〃They　just　intercepted　a　transmission　from　the　police　to　the　port　authorities。　They　have　ordered　the　port　sealedno　one　in　or　out。　The　police　and　port　authority　boats　have　been　given　orders　to　fire　on　any　craft　that　refuses　to　ply。〃　
　〃Shh　。　。　。　；〃　Seng　said。　
　
　〃RHEE　WAS　IN　his　office。　The　port's　night　manager　was　on　the　other　JL　V^nd　of　the　phone　line。　
　〃They　won't　stop？〃　he　asked。　
　〃The　pilot　boat　can't　reach　them；〃　the　port　manager　noted。　〃The　pilot　that　guided　them　out　mentioned　that　the　vessel　was　in　terrible　shapemaybe　their　radios　are　faulty。〃　
　〃Have　the　pilot　boat　outrun　them　and　deliver　the　message　in　person。〃　
　〃I　already　ordered　that；〃　the　manager　said　in　exasperation。　〃But　the　ship　keeps　gaining　speedthe　pilot　boat　can't　seem　to　catch　up　with　her。〃　
　〃I　thought　you　said　the　ship　was　a　rust　bucket；〃　Rhee　said。　〃She's　a　fast　rust　bucket；〃　the　manager　noted。　〃Our　pilot　boats　can　do　over　thirty　knots。〃　
　〃Damn；〃　Rhee　said。　〃How　long　until　the　ship　reaches　international　waters？〃　
　〃Not　long；〃　the　manager　admitted。　
　〃Get　me　the　navy；〃　Rhee　shouted　to　Po；　who　reached　for　another　telephone。　
　〃What　do　you　want　us　to　do？〃　the　port　manager　asked。　
　〃Nothing；〃　Rhee　said。　〃You've　already　done　enough。〃　
　He　slammed　down　the　telephone　and　took　the　one　in　Po's　hand。　
　The　second　in　mand　of　the　Chinese　navy　detachment　in　Macau　was　on　the　line。　
　〃This　is　the　chief　of　the　Macau　police。　We　need　you　to　stop　a　ship　heading　out　into　the　South　China　Sea；〃　he　said　quickly。　
　〃We　have　a　hydrofoil　that　can　run　at　sixty…five　knots；〃　the　Chinese　navy　officer　told　him；　〃but　it　isn't　very　heavily　armed。〃　
　〃This　is　an　old　cargo　ship；〃　Rhee　said　loudly。　〃I　doubt　she'll　put　up　much　of　a　fight。〃　
　Rhee　had　no　way　of　knowing　it；　but　he'd　just　made　the　bigge