cc.goldenbuddha-第53节

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　The　two　men　walked　out　of　the　room　toward　a　destiny　determined　by　an　obscure　ship　manned　by　mercenaries。　
　
　AT　11　A。M。　local　time；　the　Oregon　exited　the　fog　bank。　In　front　of　the　advancing　storm；　the　weather　was　perfect；　a　calm　before　the　storm。　The　sky　was　azure　blue　and　the　seas　were　as　flat　and　reflective　as　a　mirror。　In　the　hours　since　leaving　Macau；　the　Oregon　had　made　good　time。　The　ship　was　off　Hainan　Island　in　international　waters。　At　the　current　rate　of　speed；　the　vessel　would　pass　along　Singapore　tomorrow　at　noon　local　time。　After　turning　and　traveling　through　the　Strait　of　Malacca　and　heading　north；　she　was　due　to　arrive　high　in　the　Bay　of　Bengal　off　Bangladesh　sometime　around　2　p。m。　Sunday。　
　By　then；　if　all　went　according　to　plan；　the　Dalai　Lama　would　be　in　power　again；　and　the　Corporation　would　make　its　exit　with　no　one　ever　the　wiser。　
　Juan　Cabrillo　woke　in　hisrstateroom；　then　showered　and　dressed。　Leaving　his　suite；　he　walked　along　the　gangways　toward　the　control　room；　then　stopped　and　opened　the　door。　Max　Hanley　was　asleep　in　his　chair；　but　he　sat　upright　as　soon　as　Cabrillo　entered。　Hanley　rose　and　walked　over　to　the　coffeepot　and　poured　two　cups。　Handing　one　to　Cabrillo；　he　asked；　〃Feel　better？〃
　〃Amazing　what　a　little　rest　will　do；〃　Cabrillo　said；　taking　the　cup。　〃Richard？〃　Hanley　asked。　
　Truitt　turned　from　the　screen　he　was　studying。　〃I'm　okay；〃　he　said。　〃What's　the　score？〃　Cabrillo　asked　without　further　preamble。　Hanley　walked　back　to　his　chair　and　motioned　for　Cabrillo　to　sit。　Then　he　pointed　at　a　screen　that　showed　a　red　line　from　Ho　Chi　Minh　City　directly　toward　the　Oregon。　〃That　line　is　Gunderson　and　his　team。　They　will　be　arriving　in　about　a　half　hour　to　pick　you　up。〃
　〃They　aboard　the　amphibian？〃　
　〃Nope；〃　Hanley　said。　〃It　was　still　too　far　south　to　get　here　in　time。〃
　〃So　we　secured　another　seaplane？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Gannon　pulled　out　all　the　stops；〃　Hanley　told　him；　〃but　there　were　none　available。〃　
　Cabrillo　sipped　his　coffee　while　Truitt　swiveled　his　head　and　stared　back　at　him。　
　〃You're　yanking　me　off？〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Sorry；　Mr。　Chairman；〃　Hanley　said。　〃It　was　the　only　way　you　could　make　your　flight　out　of　Vietnam　on　time。〃
　〃And　the　Buddha？〃
　〃He'll　go　first；〃　Hanley　rioted。　
　〃Why；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃do　I　always　end　up　in　these　situations？〃
　〃The　money？〃　Truitt　said；　smiling。　〃Or　the　thrill　of　victory？〃　said　Hanley。　
　
　ON　BOARD　THE　Antonov；　Gunderson　was　brushing　his　teeth　and　washing　his　face。　Spitting　out　the　window；　he　rubbed　the　washcloth　across　the　stubble　on　his　cheeks。　Once　he　had　finished；　he　walked　forward　and　motioned　to　Pilston。　〃Why　don't　you　let　me　take　over。〃　
　Pilston　slid　out　of　the　pilot's　seat　and　Gunderson　climbed　aboard。
　〃How'd　our　rookie　do？〃　he　asked　Michaels。　
　〃She's　not　a　bad　pilot；〃　Michaels　noted。　〃I　had　her　do　most　of　the　flying　while　I　napped。〃　
　Gunderson　smiled　and　turned　back　to　stare　at　Pilston。　〃Be　sure　and　log　the　hours；〃　he　told　her。　〃When　you　have　two　hundred　you　can　apply　for　a　mercial　license。　Our　last　operative　who　certified　got　a　five…thousand…dollar　bonus　from　Cabrillo。〃　
　〃This　old　beast　is　a　smooth　flying　plane；〃　Pilston　said。　〃Slow　as　a　slug　but　as　stable　as　a　table。〃　
　〃How　far　out　are　we？〃　Gunderson　asked　Michaels。　
　Michaels　stared　at　the　GPS　and　examined　her　marks　in　the　charts；　then　did　a　couple　of　calculations　in　the　flight　puter。　〃Twenty…four　minutes；　give　or　take。〃　
　〃Have　you　maintained　radio　silence？〃
　〃As　we　planned；〃　Michaels　replied。　
　Gunderson　adjusted　the　mixture　to　the　engine　and　watched　the　gauges　a　few　seconds。　Satisfied　all　was　okay；　he　spoke　again。　〃Tracy；　can　you　pour　me　a　cup　of　coffee？　It's　time　to　call　the　mother　ship。〃　
　Pilston　unscrewed　the　cup　off　the　thermos；　put　a　piece　of　folded　duct　tape　on　the　bottom；　then　poured　a　cup　and　handed　it　to　Gunderson。　He　sipped　the　hot　liquid；　then　set　the　cup　down　on　a　flat　surface；　where　it　stuck。　Then　he　reached　for　the　radio；　adjusted　the　frequency；　and　spoke。　
　〃Tiny　calling　the　chairman　of　the　board；　you　out　there？〃　
　A　few　seconds　passed　before　an　answer　came。　〃This　is　control；　go　ahead。〃　
　〃The　ladies　and　I；〃　Tiny　said；　〃will　be　there　in　a　few　minutes　to　hook　you　on　board。〃　
　〃We　have　you　on　the　scope；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃You　should　be　seeing　us　shortly。〃　
　〃What's　the　drill？〃　Gunderson　asked。　
　〃You'll　have　two　yanks；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃The　first　is　the　object　remember　it's　heavy。〃　
　〃We　have　a　cargo　slide　with　a　belt；　but　the　door　to　this　old　bird　is　on　the　side；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃My　plan　was　to　winch　whatever　we　were　taking　aboard　close；　then　do　some　fancy　flying　to　get　the　load　aboard。〃　
　Back　on　the　Oregon；　Cabrillo　shook　his　head　in　amazement。　〃Don't　try　that　on　the　second　load。〃
　〃Why's　that；　boss？〃
　〃Because　the　second　load　is　me。〃　
　Michaels　was　staring　out　the　window。　A　speck　that　was　the　Oregon　came　into　view。　
　〃I　have　a　visual；〃　she　said。　
　〃We　have　you　in　sight；〃　Gunderson　said；　〃and　we'll　take　it　easy　bringing　you　aboard；　Mr。　Chairman；　don't　you　worry。〃　
　〃I'm　going　topside　to　strap　up；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Is　there　anything　else　you　need？〃　
　Gunderson　looked　at　Pilston　and　Michaels；　who　shook　their　heads　no。　
　〃Maybe　just　some　ham…and…cheese　sandwiches；〃　Gunderson　said。　
　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　do；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃We're　descending　now；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃See　you　in　a　few。〃　
　
　CABRILLO　OPENED　THE　door　and　walked　into　the　Magic　Shop。　Nixon　had　the　Golden　Buddha　on　a　small　table　and　was　waving　a　small　electronic　radar　device　across　the　belly。　He　stared　at　a　monitor　and　shook　his　head。　
　〃There's　a　space　there；　boss；〃　Nixon　said　to　Cabrillo；　〃but　I'll　be　damned　if　I　can　figure　out　the　access。〃　
　Cabrillo　stood　thinking　for　a　moment；　then　turned　to　Nixon。　〃Hand　me　a　heat　gun；〃　he　said。　
　Nixon　walked　over　to　the　tool　bench　and　removed　a　heat　gun　from　a　peg；　attached　an　extension　cord；　then　dragged　it　over　to　the　Golden　Buddha。　Cabrillo　flicked　the　switch　on　and　started　to　heat　the　Buddha's　belly。　
　〃What　are　you　thinking；　boss？〃　Nixon　asked　over　the　roar　of　the　heat　gun。　
　〃People　always　want　to　rub　Buddha's　belly　for　good　luck；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Rub　something　enough　and　you　make　heat。〃　
　Nixon　reached　over　and　touched　the　golden　belly。　It　was　being　warm；　like　human　skin。　
　Cabrillo　stared　at　the　icon；　then　turned　to　Nixon。　〃Get　me　a　single…edge　razor　blade；〃　he　said。　
　Nixon　walked　to　the　workbench；　found　a　box　of　razor　blades；　grabbed　them；　then　walked　back；　peeling　the　paper　off　one　of　the　blades。　〃There；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃There's　a　crack　forming。〃　Nixon　slid　the　blade　into　the　tiny　gap。　
　〃Slide　in　another；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃and　begin　to　wedge　off　the　belly　plate。〃　
　Minutes　passed　as　the　gap　widened。　As　it　did；　Cabrillo　diverted　the　heat　under　the　plate；　which　heated　the　glue　applied　centuries　before。　At　last　the　crack　was　large　enough　that　a　hand　could　fit　inside。　Cabrillo　handed　Nixon　the　heat　gun；　slid　his　fingers　inside　the　crack；　then　gently　pried　back　the　plate　while　Nixon　continued　heating　the　yak's…hoof　glue。　Slowly　the　plate　peeled　back。　Then；　all　at　once；　it　came　off　in　Cabrillo　's　hand。　
　He　stared　through　the　opening　into　an　inner　partment。　Inside　lay　ancient　parchments　rolled　into　a　tube　and　secured　witn　a　deposing　strip　of　rawhide。　Cabrillo　reached　in　and　carefully　removed　the　bundle。　
　Nixon　looked　at　Cabrillo　and　smiled。　〃What　now；　boss？〃
　〃We　copy　them；〃　Cabrillo　said　quietly；　〃and　put　them　back。〃　
　
　SUNG　RHEE　WAS　in　the　center　of　a　maelstrom　of　angry　people。　The　admiral　from　the　Chinese　navy　had　called　Beijing　to　report　the　damage　to　his　ships；　the　two　billionaires　had　both　returned　with　teams　of　attorneys；　and　his　assistant　had　just　called　to　report　that　the　mayor　of　Macau　was　downstairs　and　on　his　way　up。　And　then　his　telephone　rang。　
　〃I　told　you；〃　he　told　his　receptionist；　〃no　interruptions。〃
　〃President　Hu　Jintao's　office　is　calling。〃　
　〃Put　him　through；〃　Rhee　said；　motioning　with　his　hand　to　clear　his　office。　〃Put　him　through。〃　
　A　few　seconds　later；　a　voice　said；　〃President　Jintao　is　on　the　line。〃
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　President；〃　Rhee　said。　
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Rhee；〃　Jintao　said　quietly。　〃I　understand　you　had　a　bit　of　trouble　last　night。〃　
　Rhee　began　to　sweat。　〃A　。。。　a　minor　theft；〃　he　stammered。　〃Nothing　we　can't　handle；　Mr。　President。〃　
　〃Mr。　Rhee。　We've　received　calls　this　morning　from　the　United　States　embassy；　the　head　of　the　Chinese　navy；　and　the　vice　president　of　Greece　wanting　to　know　why　one　of　his　ships　was　illegally　stopped　and　boarded　on　your　orders。　That　does　not　sound　like　a　minor　theft　to　me。〃
　〃There　。　。　。　has　been　some　trouble　here；〃　Rhee　admitted。　The　telephone　was　silent　for　a　few　seconds。　〃Mr。　Rhee；〃　Jintao　said　coldly；　〃I　want　you　to　tell　me　everything　that　happened。　Right　now；　from　the　start。〃　
　Slowly；　Rhee　began　speaking。　
　
　GUNDERSON　STARTED　A　long　lumbering　turn　around　the　Oregon。　As　he　stared　out　the　cockpit　window；　he　could　see　a　large　balloon　do　a　fast　inflate；　then　head　up　in　the　air；　towing　a　line。　
　On　the　stern　deck　of　the　Oregon；　Kevin　Nixon　checked　the　straps　around　the　crate　containing　the　Golden　Buddha　again。　The　three…pronged　hook　was　duct…taped　to　the　cra