cc.goldenbuddha-第6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！


　〃I　teach　history　at　the　university。〃　
　〃Thank　you。〃　
　〃Don't　be　long。　The　truck　will　look　suspicious　if　it　sits　here　past　midnight。〃　
　〃We　should　be　out　before　then；〃　Seng　assured　him。　
　Seng　climbed　out　of　the　truck　cab　and　peered　up　and　down　the　street　cautiously。　It　was　empty。　He　rapped　softly　on　the　cargo　doors。　They　opened　and　his　team　dropped　out　and　joined　him　on　the　brick…surfaced　street。　Together　they　marched　as　a　unit　up　to　the　front　gate　and　pulled　the　bell　cord。　A　ringing　could　be　heard　in　the　guard's　office　behind　the　gate。　In　a　few　minutes；　a　guard　came　wandering　out；　rubbing　his　eyes　and　temples。　He　had　obviously　been　asleep　on　duty。　He　was　about　to　tell　the　intruders　to　go　away　when　he　recognized　Seng's　uniform　and　insignia　as　a　colonel's　and　he　feverishly　opened　the　gate；　stood　back　and　saluted。　
　〃Sir；　what　brings　you　to　the　fortress　this　time　of　night？〃　
　〃Colonel　Antonio　Yarayo。　I　was　sent　by　the　Ministry　of　State　Security　with　this　team　to　interrogate　one　of　the　prisoners。　A　new　investigation　has　turned　up　a　suspected　United　States　spy　operation。　We　believe　they　have　information　which　could　prove　useful。〃　
　〃Pardon　me；　sir；　but　I　must　ask　you　for　the　proper　papers。〃　
　〃As　a　good　soldier；　Sergeant；〃　said　Seng　officiously；　〃well　you　should。〃　He　handed　the　guard　an　envelope。　〃Why　aren't　there　more　guards　on　duty？〃　
　〃There　is　one　other　who　watches　the　prisoners'　cells。〃　
　〃Hmm。　Well；　I　see　no　reason　to　stand　out　here　all　night。　Take　me　to　your　office　quarters。〃　
　The　guard　immediately　ushered　them　into　a　barren　office　that　contained　only　a　desk　and　two　chairs。　A　photo　of　Castro；　taken　when　he　was　a　young　man；　hung　alone　on　one　wall。　
　〃Who　is　the　officer　in　mand　here？〃　asked　Seng。　
　〃Captain　Juan　Lopez。〃　
　〃Where　is　he？〃　
　〃He　has　a　girlfriend　with　a　house　in　the　city。　He　will　be　back　at　nine　o'clock　tomorrow。〃　
　〃How　very　convenient；〃　Seng　said　as　if　bored。　〃What　is　your　name？〃　
　〃Lieutenant　Gabriel　Sanchez；　sir。〃　
　〃And　the　name　of　the　other　guard　on　duty　in　the　cells？〃　
　〃Sergeant　Ignez　Macco。〃　
　〃Please　check　the　documents　so　we　can　get　on　with　it。〃　
　The　guard　sat　down　at　the　desk　and　pulled　some　paper　out　of　the　envelope。　Seng　moved　behind　and　removed　a　small　gun　from　his　pocket　as　Sanchez　stared　blankly　at　a　pair　of　ic　books。　He　looked　up。　〃Colonel；　I　don't　under〃　
　That　was　as　far　as　he　got　before　Seng　shot　a　tiny　dart　filled　with　a　tranquilizer　into　the　nape　of　his　neck。　Sanchez　looked　at　Seng　oddly　before　slumping　unconscious　over　the　table。　
　Seng　threw　a　roll　of　duct　tape　to　one　of　his　team。　Every　move　was　so　well　rehearsed　that　he　did　not　have　to　give　orders。　Two　men　took　the　tape；　bound　the　unconscious　guard；　searched　his　pocketsfinding　an　unusual　round　keyand　then　stuffed　him　in　a　closet。　Another　man　went　to　work　carefully　rendering　the　security　alarms　and　munications　equipment　inoperable。　
　As　they　rushed　through　the　passageways　and　tunnels　and　down　stone　steps　to　the　cells　below；　Seng　knew　where　he　was　within　a　foot；　thanks　to　the　holographic　image　of　the　fortress　that　he　had　mitted　to　memory。　
　There　was　no　desperate　hurry；　but　they　could　not　afford　to　throw　away　time。　He　could　see　now　why　only　a　few　men　guarded　the　entire　facility。　The　walls　were　massively　thick；　and　there　was　only　one　entrance　in　and　out　of　the　dungeon　cells　far　below　street　level。　The　only　way　a　prisoner　could　escape　was　the　way　the　team　from　the　Oregon　had　efrom　the　outside。　A　string　of　lightbulbs　lit　the　passageway。　The　ceiling　was　very　high；　but　the　space　between　the　walls　was　very　narrow。　The　steps　finally　ended　at　an　enormous　steel　door　with　the　thickness　of　a　bank　vault。　A　TV　camera　stared　ominously　at　Seng　and　his　men。　This　was　the　tricky　part；　he　thought；　as　he　inserted　the　odd…looking　key　into　the　steel　lock。　Seng　prayed　that　the　key　would　do　the　job　without　a　code　being　demanded。　
　His　fear　was　confirmed　when　he　turned　the　key　and　a　buzzer　could　be　heard　from　the　other　side　of　the　door。　A　minute　later　a　voice　called　through　a　nearby　loudspeaker；　〃Who　goes　there？〃　
　〃Colonel　Antonio　Yarayo；　State　Security；　with　an　interrogation　team　to　question　the　traitors。〃　
　There　was　a　pause。　Seng　didn't　wait　for　a　reply。　
　〃Open　up。　I　have　the　authority　and　necessary　documents。　Lieutenant　Sanchez　would　have　acpanied　us；　but　he　said　he　was　not　allowed　to　leave　the　front　gate　unguarded。　Sergeant　Ignez　Macco；　is　it？〃　Seng　held　up　the　envelope。　〃If　you　have　any　questions；　I　have　your　service　record　in　my　hands。〃　
　〃But　sir；〃　the　voice　of　Macco　pleaded；　〃if　the　door　is　opened　before　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning；　alarms　will　go　off　in　the　state　security　office　at　Fort　Canovar。〃　
　〃I　ordered　Lieutenant　Sanchez　to　turn　off　the　dungeon　alarm；〃　Seng　bluffed。　
　〃But　sir；　he　cannot　do　that。　The　door　is　on　a　separate　system　that　is　wired　to　the　security　mandant's　office　in　the　city。　It　cannot　be　opened　until　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃　
　It　was　one　more　obstacle　to　overe；　but　not　totally　unexpected。　Seng　was　betting　that　the　security　officers　would　think　the　alarms　were　malfunctioning　and　call　the　fort　to　check　it　out　before　sending　a　squad　of　security　police。　
　Macco　fell　for　it。　A　few　seconds　later；　the　big　steel　lock　clacked　and　the　bolts　that　extended　from　the　door　into　the　framework　could　be　heard　withdrawing　from　their　slots。　Then　the　massive　door　swung　open　silently　and　smoothly。　Sergeant　Macco　stood　at　attention　and　snapped　a　salute。　
　Seng　wasted　no　more　time　on　niceties。　He　aimed　the　tranquilizer　gun　at　Macco's　throat　and　squeezed　the　tiny　trigger。　The　guard's　eyes　rolled　back　in　his　head　and　he　dropped　to　the　stone　floor　like　a　sack　of　sand。　
　The　dungeon　was　not　a　state…of…the…art　prison。　The　rusting　iron　cell　doors　had　been　hung　in　the　late　nineteenth　century　and　still　required　
　the　large　antique　key　chained　to　Macco's　belt。　Seng　ripped　the　key　and　its　ring　from　the　guard's　belt　and　began　opening　the　first　doors。　As　soon　as　the　door　was　swung　ajar；　Julia　Huxley　rushed　into　the　cell　to　check　the　condition　of　its　inhabitant。　Seng's　team　helped　by　assisting　the　shocked　prisoners；　who　feared　the　worst；　into　the　dungeon's　passageway。　
　〃Five　are　in　no　condition　to　walk　up　the　stairs　and　onto　the　street；〃　said　Julia。　〃They'll　have　to　be　carried　out　on　stretchers。〃　
　〃Then　we'll　haul　them　on　our　backs；〃　replied　Seng。　〃We　don't　have　enough　bodies　to　carry　five　stretchers。〃　
　〃These　poor　devils　think　we're　going　to　execute　them；〃　said　a　tall；　ruggedly　built　team　member　with　red　hair　in　a　buzz　cut。　
　〃We　haven't　got　time　to　explain！〃　snapped　Seng。　He　knew　that　the　security　officials　downtown　were　wondering　why　the　dungeon　alarm　in　Santa　Ursula　had　been　triggered　at　this　time　of　night。　They　were　certain　to　call　and　find　the　phones　down。　How　soon　they　would　send　a　squad　of　men　to　check　was　anybody's　guess。　〃Julia；　you　round　up　those　who　can　move　on　their　own　two　feet。　The　rest　of　you　men　carry　the　ones　too　weak　to　walk。〃　
　They　moved　off；　almost　having　to　drag　the　poor；　suffering　Cubans　out　of　the　dungeon　and　up　the　stairs；　every　team　member　with　a　Cuban　over　one　shoulder；　their　free　arms　braced　around　other　prisoners　who　could　barely　manage　the　steps。　Julia　brought　up　the　rear；　supporting　two　women　and　whispering　encouraging　words　whose　meanings　could　only　e　through　in　her　soothing　toneshe　knew　only　enough　Spanish　to　order　a　margarita。　
　Climbing　the　winding　stone　steps　was　a　torturous　exertion　for　the　weakened　prisoners；　but　there　could　be　no　turning　back。　Any　capture　now　meant　certain　execution。　They　struggled　up　the　steps；　chests　rising　and　falling；　lungs　gasping　for　air；　hearts　pounding。　Men　and　women　who　had　long　ago　given　up　hope　now　saw　an　opportunity　to　live　normal　lives　again；　thanks　to　these　crazy　people　who　were　risking　death　to　rescue　them。　
　Seng　could　not　afford　the　time　to　sympathize　with　their　plight；　or　look　into　their　gaunt　faces。　Any　thoughts　of　passion　were　fleeting。　Sympathy　could　e　once　they　reached　the　safety　of　the　Oregon。　
　He　concentrated　on　pushing　them　all　toward　the　main　gate；　keeping　his　mind　cold　and　logical。　
　At　last　the　front　of　the　column　reached　the　guard's　office　at　the　gate。　Seng　stepped　cautiously　out　onto　the　brick　street。　There　was　no　whisper　of　sound　or　any　sign　of　vehicles　or　people。　The　truck　was　right　where　they'd　left　it。　
　The　team　carrying　those　too　weak　to　walk　were　huffing　and　puffing　now　and　soaked　in　sweat　from　the　tropical　humidity。　Warily；　Seng　studied　the　darkened　street　and　buildings　through　his　laser　night　binoculars。　The　area　was　clear。　Satisfied；　he　hustled　everyone　through　the　gate　and　shoved　them　roughly　in　the　direction　of　the　truck。　
　He　rushed　back　into　the　office　and　checked　the　guard。　He　was　still　unconscious。　He　also　spotted　a　red　light　on　a　console　beside　the　desk。　The　alarm　had　indeed　been　activated　when　they'd　opened　the　dungeon　door。　The　phone　began　to　ring；　and　he　picked　it　up　and　snapped　in　Spanish；　〃Uno　momenta！〃　
　Then　he　set　the　receiver　down　and　dashed　out　the　door。　
　The　rescue　team　and　the　freed　prisoners　were　crammed　into　the　cargo　bed　of　the　truck　like　Japanese　workers　during　rush　hour。　The　driver　shifted　the　weary　old　transmission　into　gear　with　a　brief　metallic