cc.goldenbuddha-第59节

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public　opinion；　to　do　things　we　knew　or　felt　were　wrong。　We　don't　do　those　things　anymore。　We　were　formed　to　make　a　profit；　that's　for　sure；　but　as　much　as　we　like　the　money；　we　are　also　cognizant　of　the　chances　that　arise　for　us　to　somehow　right　the　wrongs　of　others。〃　
　〃You　are　speaking　of　Karma；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said。　〃Something　I　am　most　aware　of。〃　
　Cabrillo　nodded。　〃We　have　decided　that　to　leave　you　alone　to　fight　the　Chinese　would　be　wrong。　The　solution　came　to　us　when　we　realized　the　significance　of　the　papers　inside　the　Golden　Buddha。〃　
　〃And　I　assume　your　pany　will　profit　from　such　a　deal？〃　the　Dalai　Lama　asked。　
　〃Is　that　bad？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Not　necessarily；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃but　explain　more。〃　
　
　Ten　minutes　later；　Cabrillo　was　finished。　
　〃I'm　impressed；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃now　let　me　explain　mine。〃　Another　five　minutes　passed　as　the　Dalai　Lama　spoke。　〃Brilliant；〃　Cabrillo　said　when　the　Dalai　Lama　had　finished。　〃Thank　you；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃but　to　sway　the　vote　will　take　
　fundswill　you　bear　the　cost？〃　
　〃We　made　a　little　money　on　a　side　deal；〃　Cabrillo　said；　thinking　of　the　100　million　in　bearer　bonds。　〃So　the　costs　are　not　a　problem。〃　
　Overholt　had　remained　silent　as　the　two　spoke。　Now　he　interjected。　〃If　you　can　pull　this　off；〃　he　said　eagerly；　〃the　president　will　kiss　you。〃
　〃Mr。　Cabrillo；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃this　gives　us　both　an　opportunity　to　keep　the　bloodshed　down；　while　at　the　same　time　offering　our　actions　a　legitimacy　that　is　indisputable。　If　you　can　make　this　happen；　I　will　agree　to　your　deal　as　offered。〃　
　〃Thank　you；　Your　Holiness；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Good　luck；　Mr。　Cabrillo；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said。　〃May　Buddha　bless　your　mission。〃　
　After　a　short　meeting　with　Overholt；　Cabrillo　collected　the　translated　pages　and　maps；　then　climbed　back　in　the　helicopter　and　was　flown　back　to　Amritsar。　President　Putin　had　been　promised　the　meeting　would　be　worth　the　effort。　Cabrillo　would　not　fail　to　deliver。　
　
　JUST　AFTER　MIDNIGHT；　the　C…130　carrying　the　members　from　the　Corporation　landed　in　Thimbu；　Bhutan；　and　the　plane　was　surrounded　by　a　dozen　Philippine　Special　Forces　soldiers。　Off　to　the　side；　the　eight　Bell　212　helicopters　were　aligned　in　a　row；　with　ten　feet　separating　each　ship。　
　A　large　domed　hangar　was　nearby；　with　the　door　open　and　light　spilling　out　onto　the　runway。　Carl　Gannon　walked　from　inside　and　extended　his　hand　to　Eddie　Seng。　〃They　tell　me　you're　in　charge　until　the　chairman　arrives；〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　show　you　around。〃　
　The　others　followed　Seng　and　Gannon　inside　the　hangar。　〃I've　man　aged　to　scrounge　up　radios　and　have　established　a　link　with　the　Oregon；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　a　wooden　table　with　a　puter　and　a　stack　of　papers。　〃The　latest　data　is　on　top。〃　
　Alongside　the　table　were　several　corkboards　displaying　maps　of　Tibet；　satellite　weather　images　and　other　documents。　A　chalkboard　was　erected　on　an　easel；　where　Seng　could　make　notes　and　draw　the　plans；　as　well　as　a　large　plastic…covered　map　showing　the　city　of　Lhasa　that　was　taped　to　a　piece　of　plywood　and　sat　atop　another　table。　
　Off　to　the　side；　milling　around　an　area　with　a　large　coffeepot；　small　refrigerator；　and　cardboard　boxes　containing　food；　were　the　eighteen　mercenary　pilots。　Murphy　made　his　way　to　the　coffee；　poured　a　cup　and　greeted　an　old　friend。　〃Gurt；〃　he　said；　〃you　old　dog。〃　
　Gurt；　a　mid…fifties　blond…haired　man　with　a　crew　cut　and　a　gold　tooth　in　front；　smiled。　
　〃Murphy；〃　he　said；　flashing　the　tooth；　〃I　thought　this　might　be　something　you'd　be　involved　in。　It　had　the　smell　of　a　Corporation　operation。〃　
　The　men　continued　visiting　while　Seng　flipped　through　the　information　Gannon　had　amassed。　Five　minutes　later；　he　called　everyone　to　sit　in　the　rows　of　folding　wooden　chairs　arranged　in　front　of　the　boards。　The　pilots　ambled　over　and　took　seats　behind　the　Corporation　crew。　Seng　glanced　at　the　assembled　group　before　speaking。　
　〃For　those　of　you　who　don't　know　me；〃　he　said　easily；　〃my　name　is　Eddie；　Seng。　Please　call　me　Seng　and　not　Eddie　so　there　is　no　confusion。　I　will　be　mander　in　charge　of　this　operation　until　the　time　that　our　chairman；　Juan　Cabrillo；　arrives　in　the　theater。〃　
　The　group　nodded。　
　〃The　breakdown　of　flight　operation　will　be　as　follows。　Six　of　the　helicopters　will　be　tasked　with　offensive　operations；　one　for　the　chairman　when　he　arrives；　one　for　medical。　We　will　draw　the　assignments　out　of　a　hat　on　who　is　assigned　to　what；　to　be　fair。　Each　of　the　helicopters　will　carry　one　member　of　our　team；　and　the　pilots　will　be　required　to　fly　this　person　anywhere　he　requests。　Gentlemen；　we　will　potentially　be　under　fire　and　in　harm's　way　for　the　next　twenty…four　to　forty…eight　hours。　If　this　is　not　what　you　signed　up　for；　let　me　know　now　so　you　can　be　replaced。　If　not；　I　want　you　to　understand　that　as　pilots　you　will　be　answering　to　the　team　member　aboard。　If　you　hesitate　or　refuse　to　ply　with　a　request；　you　will　be　replaced　by　one　of　our　team　that　is　qualified　in　helicopter　operations；　and　you　will　forfeit　your　second　half　payment。　Any　questions？〃　
　Gurt　raised　his　hand。　〃When　do　we　receive　our　first　half？〃　　〃Ah　。。。　a　real　pilot；〃　Seng　said；　〃The　answer　is；　as　soon　as　we　are　finished　here。　Everyone　okay　with　that？〃　
　Heads　nodded。　
　〃If　you　have　personal　property　or　letters　to　loved　ones　or　wish　us　to　transfer　the　funds　to　another　party　if　something　happens　to　you；〃　Seng　noted；　〃please　see　either　Gannon　or　Crabtree。〃　
　Gannon　and　Crabtree　raised　their　hands。　
　〃Now；　are　there　any　other　business　matters　before　I　explain　the　operation？〃　
　The　hangar　was　silent。　
　〃Good；　then；〃　Seng　said。　〃Here's　the　plan。〃　
　
　THE　GULFSTREAM　G550　was　at　forty…one　thousand　feet　racing　toward　Moscow　as　Cabrillo　talked　over　a　secure　satellite　telephone　to　the　Oregon。　〃Go　over　them　again；〃　he　said　as　he　scrawled　notes　on　a　yellow　pad。　〃Okay；　I've　got　them。〃　
　The　line　was　silent　as　Cabrillo　studied　the　list。　
　〃And　Halpert　set　up　the　main　corporate　entity　in　Andorra。〃　
　〃Correct；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃Lucky　break；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃but　then；　by　looking　at　this　list；　the　Dalai　Lama　is　a　lucky　one　too。　If　this　had　been　scheduled　last　year；　I　don't　know　if　we　could　have　pulled　it　off。〃　
　〃Isn't　that　the　truth？〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃Here's　how　I　see　it；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Of　the　fifteen　members　of　the　United　Nations　Security　Council；　we　have　three　of　the　five　permanent　members：　the　United　States；　the　United　Kingdom　and　Russia。　China　is　obviously　not　going　to　vote　our　way；　and　France　is　currently　trying　to　sell　whatever　they　can　to　the　Chinese；　so　they'll　probably　vote　with　them　so　as　not　to　upset　any　deals　they　have　in　progress。　The　remaining　ten　will　be　trickywe　need　to　pull　six　out　of　the　ten　to　give　us　the　nine　we　need　for　the　resolution。　Let　me　go　over　it　with　you。　Afghanistan　we're　not　going　to　geteven　with　the　U。S。　involvement　a　few　years　ago；　there　are　still　too　many　pockets　of　anti…Buddhist　revolutionaries　for　their　leaders　to　risk　voting　with　us。　Sweden　is　and　will　always　be　pacifistic；　at　least　at　the　start；　as　will　Canada。　Cuba　receives　too　much　aid　from　China　to　risk　voting　our　way；　not　to　mention　they　almost　always　vote　the　opposite　of　the　U。S。〃　
　〃Sounds　about　right；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃That　leaves　us　Brunei；　Laos；　Qatar；　Andorra；　Kiribati　and　Tuvalu。〃
　〃Correct；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃It's　blind　luck　that　we　have　two　tiny　South　Pacific　nations　on　the　Security　Council　at　the　same　time；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃It's　like　a　couple　of　years　ago；　when　Cameroon　and　Guinea　were　both　members　at　the　same　time；〃　Hanley　said。　〃It　happens。〃　
　〃Each　country　in　the　United　Nations　has　one　vote；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃but　this　is　the　first　time　I　really　considered　the　impact。〃
　〃Same　here；〃　Hanley　said。　
　Cabrillo　thought　for　a　moment。　〃I　know　the　emir　of　Qatar；〃　he　said。　〃If　we　offer　him　a　favor　later；　he'll　order　his　people　to　vote　the　way　we　want。　What　have　we　got　ing　up？〃　
　Hanley　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Nothing　right　now；　but　that　can　change。　The　last　time　he　went　in　with　us；　he　made　something　like　eighty　million。　If　we　call　in　the　past　favor　and　dangle　something　ahead；　you　got　the　vote。〃　
　〃You're　right；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃I'll　take　care　of　dealing　with　him。〃
　〃Good；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Laos　should　be　easy。　They're　Buddhist；　and　the　general　wants　his　car。〃　
　〃Offer　him　several；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Where　are　we　funding　this　from？〃　Hanley　asked。　
　〃We're　going　to　try　to　use　around　half　of　the　hundred　million　windfall　for　everything。〃　
　〃Easy　e　easy　go；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Brunei　should　be　ours。　The　country　is　fifteen　percent　Buddhist　and　the　sultan　can't　risk　alienating　his　constituents。〃　
　〃Plus　we　saved　his　brother's　life　a　couple　of　years　ago；〃　Cabrillo　added。　
　〃Andorra；〃　Hanley　said；　〃what　about　them？〃　
　〃Good　thing　Halpert　set　up　the　new　pany　there；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃What's　their　GDP？〃　
　Hanley　scanned　through　an　almanac　and　found　the　information。　〃It's　around　one　point　two　billion。〃　
　〃Once　the　oil　es　online；〃　Cabrillo　noted；　〃we'll　be　bringing　another　twenty　percent　to　the　table。　If　someone　explains　that　to　their　ambassador；　he'd　be　stupid　not　to　see　his　way　to　giving　us　their　vote。　Money　talksplus　this　is　the　right　thing　to　do；　anyway。〃　
　〃I　agree