cc.goldenbuddha-第54节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


pronged　hook　was　duct…taped　to　the　crate　and　would　be　used　to　yank　Cabrillo　aboard　if　they　were　successful　getting　the　icon　aboard　the　An…tonov。　Hanley　stood　off　to　the　side；　checking　the　fit　on　the　harness　that　wrapped　around　Cabrillo's　chest　and　upper　thighs。　Satisfied　it　was　properly　attached；　he　snapped　a　smaller　bag　containing　the　sandwiches　to　one　side　of　the　harness。　
　〃The　old　Fulton　Recovery　System；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃You'd　think　with　all　our　funds　we'd　have　found　a　replacement　by　now。〃　
　〃It's　so　rare　we're　this　far　offshore；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Past　the　point　our　amphibian　or　a　helicopter　can　reach　us。〃　
　〃You　ever　ridden　one　of　these？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　〃Never　had　the　pleasure；〃　Hanley　said；　smiling。　〃It　feels　like　a　mule　kicked　you　in　the　ass；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃That's　the　least　of　your　worries；　the　way　I　see　it。〃
　〃How　do　you　figure？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃The　only　winch　we　could　find　was　designed　for　light　trucks；〃　Hanley　noted。　〃I　just　hope　they　can　reel　you　in　fast　enough　before　you　strike　the　rear　stabilizer。〃　
　〃You　make　it　all　sound　so　appealing；〃　Cabrillo　said　wryly。　
　The　sound　of　the　Antonov　was　growing　louder。　
　〃Clear　the　decks；〃　Nixon　shouted；　〃for　the　first　approach。〃　
　
　GUNDERSON　WAS　NOTED　for　never　being　flustered。　No　matter　what　the　situation；　he　always　maintained　his　cool。　Lowering　the　flaps　on　the　Antonov；　he　slowed　the　speed　to　just　above　jtall；　then　lined　up　less　than　a　hundred　feet　above　the　deck。　〃Anybody　got　any　gum？〃　he　asked。　
　Michaels　quickly　peeled　the　foil　off　a　piece　and　jammed　it　in　his　mouth。　
　〃Head　back　to　help　Tracy；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃I'll　hook　the　fatso　on　the　first　pass；　then　I'll　shout　back　before　I　roll　her　over。〃　
　Inside　the　Oregon；　the　cameras　on　the　deck　relayed　an　image　of　the　operation　throughout　the　ship。　Everyone　watched　as　Gunderson　steered　closer。　
　In　the　cargo　partment；　Pilston　and　Michaels　were　watching　out　the　open　door。　The　steel　cable　stretched　backward；　but　the　hook　on　the　end　was　out　of　view。　Gunderson　was　peering　out　the　front　window；　then　the　side　window；　in　a　rapid　ballet　of　visual　Olympics。　At　the　top　of　the　cable　leading　to　the　Fulton　Aerial　Recovery　System；　just　below　the　balloon；　the　cable　spread　into　a　Y　shape。　Gunderson　chomped　on　the　gum　as　he　steered　the　Antonov　closer。　
　〃It's　show　time；〃　he　shouted。　
　The　hook　dangling　back　from　the　plane　slid　cleanly　into　the　Y　and　snagged　the　cable。　A　split　second　later　the　crate　containing　the　Golden　Buddha　was　yanked　from　the　deck　as　cleanly　as　ripping　a　bandage　off　a　wound。　Gunderson　instantly　felt　the　drag　on　the　plane　and　shouted　for　Pilston　to　engage　the　winch。　
　She　threw　the　lever　forward　and　the　package　started　to　reel　aboard；　while　at　the　same　time　Gunderson　eased　the　biplane　over　on　her　side。　Hanley　watched　from　the　deck　in　amazement。　
　〃Tell　me　when　the　load's　within　ten　feet；〃　Gunderson　shouted。　
　A　minute　or　so　later；　Michaels　shouted；　〃Okay；　Chuck。〃　
　Gunderson　did　a　quick　sideways　dive　to　the　ocean；　now　only　some　eighty　feet　away；　and　the　crate　went　temporarily　weightless　from　the　g　forces。　The　crate　floated　in　the　air　for　a　second。　
　〃Rolling　flat；〃　Gunderson　shouted。　
　Pilston　and　Michaels　moved　away　from　the　door；　and　the　cable　tightened　and　reeled　the　Golden　Buddha　aboard　as　easily　as　a　book　sliding　into　a　bookcase。　The　crate　slammed　against　the　far　inner　wall　of　the　fuselage　and　stopped。　The　crate　was　cracked；　but　not　much。　Pilston　turned　the　winch　motor　off。　
　Gunderson　stared　back；　quite　happy　with　the　results。　He　reached　for　the　radio。　
　〃Mr。　Hanley；〃　he　said。　〃I　scratched　your　box　a　little；　but　the　cargo　is　safe　and　sound。〃　
　Hanley　pushed　the　button　on　his　portable　radio　as　Gunderson　began　to　climb　and　bank　around。　〃Hell　of　a　job；　Tiny。　There's　a　different　hook　attached　to　the　box。　Attach　that　to　the　cable　before　you　pull　the　chairman　aboard。〃　
　〃Roger　that；〃　Gunderson　said。　
　Then　he　shouted　back　to　Michaels　to　attach　the　other　hook　to　the　end　of　the　line。　By　the　time　Gunderson　had　passed　over　the　top　of　the　Oregon　again　and　was　starting　his　turn　to　line　up；　the　hook　was　attached　and　Pilston　started　to　reel　out　the　cable　once　again。　Gunderson　adjusted　his　flight　controls；　they　set　the　speed　of　the　Antonov　to　right　at　stall。　
　〃Once　I　hook　the　boss　man；〃　Gunderson　shouted；　〃you　reel　him　in　as　fast　as　possible。　When　he's　next　to　the　door；　reach　out　and　pull　him　inside。〃　
　〃Got　it；〃　Pilston　shouted。　
　〃Here　I　e；　boss；〃　Gunderson　said　into　the　radio；　〃ready　or　not。〃　
　Cabrillo　had　moved　onto　the　rear　deck　and　Nixon　inflated　the　balloon。　It　shot　in　the　air　when　the　Antonov　was　only　a　hundred　yards　off　the　bow。　
　〃Clear　the　decks；〃　Nixon　shouted　as　he　sprinted　away。　
　Juan　Cabrillo　stood　quietly。　There　was　really　no　way　to　prepare　for　what　was　about　to　happen。　In　a　few　seconds；　he　would　be　yanked　from　the　safety　of　the　Oregon　and　into　the　air　over　the　ocean。　From　the　known　to　the　unknown　in　a　split　second。　So　Cabrillo　simply　cleared　his　mind　and　waited；　
　Gunderson　chewed　his　gum；　watched　the　line　carefully；　and　then　put　the　three…pronged　hook　directly　into　the　center　of　the　Y　once　again。　Bam！　One　second　Cabrillo's　feet　were　on　the　deck；　the　next　second　he　was　yanked　into　the　air。　He　moved　his　feet　back　and　forth　like　he　was　trying　to　run。　The　wind　crept　past　the　goggles　he　was　wearing　and　his　eyes　began　to　weep　as　the　Antonov　grew　larger。　Cabrillo　could　see　hands　reaching　out　of　the　door　as　he　rose；　closer　to　safety。　He　tilted　his　head　back　and　looked。　Every　few　seconds　the　cable　was　bumping　against　the　rear　stabilizer　and　he　prepared　to　push　himself　off　as　he　grew　closer。　
　〃He's　going　to　hit　the　tail；〃　Pilston　shouted　to　Gunderson。　
　Cabrillo　put　his　feet　in　the　air　to　push　against　the　stabilizer。　He　was　only　a　few　feet　away　when　Gunderson　pulled　back　on　the　controls　and　pitched　the　nose　of　the　Antonov　up。　Cabrillo；　hanging　from　the　cable　like　a　pendulum；　dropped　a　few　feet　and　slid　past　the　tail。　A　few　seconds　later　he　was　next　to　the　door；　Michaels　and　Pilston　grabbed　his　arms　and　pulled　him　inside。　
　Gunderson　started　the　Antonov　climbing；　then　glanced　back　into　the　cargo　area。　
　〃Hey；　boss；〃　he　yelled；　〃how　was　the　ride？〃　
　
　MICHAEL　HALPERT　FLICKED　on　the　puter　in　the　Oregon's　library。　Working　the　party　in　Macau　had　been　excitingthe　element　of　danger　involved　in　operations　ensured　that。　Even　so；　Hal…pert's　forte　was　the　arcane　accounting　and　banking　network　he　had　constructed　for　the　Corporation's　activities。　In　that；　Halpert　was　a　master。　The　twisted　matrix　of　corporate　law　and　structure　was　exciting　to　himhe　loved　to　hide　the　Corporation's　assets　like　a　penny　under　a　glacier；　and　shield　its　ownership　in　panies　through　plex　structures　that　would　take　teams　of　accountants　years　to　unravel。　
　Today　he　would　need　to　use　all　his　skills。　
　Halpert　was　building　what　he　liked　to　call　a　skeleton。　A　skeleton　was　a　series　of　corporations　forming　the　bones　to　support　the　skull　that　held　the　nerve　center　of　an　operation。　Each　would　need　to　be　structured；　funded　and　interlinked　until　the　actual　source　of　ownership　and　control　was　as　cloudy　as　a　London　morning。　
　
　He　scanned　a　database　of　available　existing　panies。　First　would　e　the　skull　itselfthe　eventual　owner　of　the　assets　that　would　soon　be　created。　For　that　he　chose　a　corporation　based　in　the　tiny　country　of　Andorra。　The　pany；　Cataluna　Esteme；　had　been　founded　in　1972　with　the　purpose　of　mining　and　trading　of　lead。　
　Andorra；　all　181　square　miles　of　territory；　is　perched　in　the　Pyrenees　Mountains；　with　Spain　to　the　south　and　France　to　the　north。　The　population　of　Andorra　is　some　sixty…five　thousand　people；　and　the　primary　industry　is　tourism；　with　an　emphasis　on　snow　skiing。　The　country　had　been　in　existence　since　1278　and　was　modern　and　progressive；　plus　Halpert　had　never　used　it　before。　
　Cataluna　Esteme　itself　had　been　active　in　the　lead　business　until　1998；　when　the　aging　owner　had　been　felled　by　heart　trouble　while　on　a　visit　to　Paris。　Over　the　next　year　or　so；　the　assets　of　the　corporation　had　been　distributed　to　the　owner's　heirs；　and　the　pany　itself　had　gone　dormant。　Cataluna　Esteme　existed　in　the　desk　drawer　of　a　lawyer　in　Andorra's　capital　city　of　Andorra　la　Vella。　
　Halpert　scanned　the　history　and　found　it　ideal。　The　pany　had　perfect　credit；　a　past　history　of　large　sums　passing　through　the　corporation　coffers；　as　well　as　the　shield　of　privacy　offered　by　Andorran　law。　The　remaining　stock　in　the　pany　was　available　for　the　equivalent　of　50；000。　This　sum　would　give　them　plete　control　of　a　corporation　that　had　existed　for　over　thirty　years；　had　a　charter　similar　to　the　intended　use；　and　was　pletely　untraceable。　Halpert　decided　to　buy　Cataluna　Esteme。　
　For　the　feet　of　the　skeleton；　he　used　two　panies　the　Corporation　already　owned。　The　first　was　Gizo　Properties；　based　in　the　Solomon　Islands　in　the　South　Pacific。　The　second　was　Paisen　Industries；　based　in　San　Marino；　a　country　on　the　Adriatic　coast　pletely　surrounded　by　Italy。　Accessing　the　panies'　accounts　over　the　puter；　Halpert　deposited　874；000　in　Gizo　Properties　and　418；000　in　Paisen　Industries。　In　the　blink　of　an　eye；　Halpert　had　moved　1。292　million　into　already　existing　accounts。　The　money　would　not　re