cc.goldenbuddha-第61节

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u　to　make　the　diplomatic　approach　to　China　with　the　oil　offerit　has　been　made　clear　to　me　the　United　States　wants　no　direct　involvement　in　the　liberation　of　Tibet。〃　
　〃I　have　spoken　to　your　president；〃　Putin　said。　〃He　mentioned　the　need　for　secrecy。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Next；　I　need　that　vote　in　the　UN。　If　we　can　hold　off　the　Chinese　until　the　vote　es　in　and　the　peacekeepers　arrive；　then　the　Russian　troops　will　be　relieved。〃　
　Putin　rose　from　the　chair　and　stoked　the　fire。　〃So　Russia　invests　no　money；　only　muscle。〃　
　〃The　pany　that　will　develop　the　oilfield　has　already　been　formed；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃All　I　need　is　your　signature　on　this　document　that　has　already　been　signed　by　the　Dalai　Lama；　and　your　word　you　will　do　what　we　have　discussed；　and　we　can　proceed。〃　
　Makelikov　entered　the　room　just　as　Putin　placed　the　stoker　back　in　the　rack。　He　stepped　over　to　Cabrillo；　took　the　document　and　read　it　quickly。　
　〃Sergei；〃　he　said；　〃bring　me　a　pen。〃　
　
　〃I'LL　SWAP　YOU；〃　Gurt　said　to　one　of　the　other　mercenary　pilots；　〃if　you　don't　mind。〃　
　〃What　did　you　draw？〃　the　other　pilot　asked。　〃Medevac；〃　Gurt　said。　
　〃I'll　gladly　switch；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Mine　looks　to　be　the　most　dangerous　mission。〃　
　〃I've　worked　with　Murphy　before；〃　Gurt　said。　〃Plus　I　have　more　high…altitude　flying　time　than　you。　I　don't　mind。〃　
　〃Be　my　guest；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Flying　a　load　of　explosives　north　is　not　my　idea　of　a　good　time。〃　
　〃I'll　make　sure　it's　okay　with　Seng；〃　Gurt　said；　walking　off。　
　
　THE　FASTEST　WAY　to　get　you　there；〃　Hanley　said；　〃is　to　drop　you　in　Singapore；　then　have　you　flown　by　jet　to　Vanuatu。　From　there　we'll　switch　you　to　a　turboprop　STOL　that　can　land　at　the　smaller　airfields　on　Kiribati　and　Tuvalu。〃　Truitt　nodded。　〃We　need　those　votes；〃　Hanley　said　quietly。　〃Do　whatever　it　takes　
　to　make　that　happen。〃　
　〃Not　to　worry；〃　Truitt　said。　〃Even　if　it　takes　a　river　of　grease；　by　Monday　vote　time　they　will　be　ours。〃　
　Later　that　night；　the　Oregon　passed　the　breakwater　and　entered　the　port；　and　Truitt　boarded　the　waiting　jet　for　the　nine…hour　flight　to　the　South　Pacific。　He　would　arrive　on　Easter　morning。　
　
　THE　ZIL　LIMOUSINE　slid　to　a　stop　in　front　of　the　Gulfstream　G550。　Cabrillo　climbed　out；　clutching　a　folder　containing　the　documents；　and　made　his　way　up　the　ramp　without　hesitating。　The　copilot　immediately　retracted　the　ramp　and　fastened　the　door。　Then　he　shouted　toward　the　cockpit。　
　〃We're　good　to　go。〃　
　Instantly；　the　pilot　engaged　the　igniters；　and　a　few　seconds　later　the　jet　engines　began　to　spool　up。　Cabrillo　made　his　way　to　a　seat　and　fastened　the　belt　as　the　copilot　started　for　the　cockpit。　
　〃We　received　your　telephone　call；　sir；〃　the　copilot　said　over　his　shoulder　as　he　slid　into　his　seat。　〃The　course　is　all　plotted　and　we've　received　preliminary　clearance。〃　
　〃What's　the　distance？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Straight　through；　it's　about　thirty…four　hundred　miles；〃　the　copilot　said。　〃The　winds　are　favorable；　so　we　estimate　six　hours'　flight　time。〃　
　The　Gulfstream　started　taxiing　toward　the　runway。　〃Easter　morning　seven　a。m。；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃That's　the　plan；　sir；〃　the　copilot　said。　
　
　SOMETIMES　IT　ALL　es　down　to　a　few。　A　few　minutes；　a　few　strokes　of　luck；　a　few　people。　
　At　this　instant；　it　was　two。　Murphy　and　Gurt。　Two　men；　one　helicopter　with　extra　fuel　pods　and　a　load　of　explosives　would　form　the　advance　team　for　the　liberation　of　Tibet。　
　They　lifted　off　just　after　4　a。m。　under　the　waning　light　of　a　quarter　moon。　
　Once　Gurt　had　the　Bell　212　at　an　altitude　of　one　thousand　feet　above　ground　level　and　in　a　steady　forward　flight；　he　spoke　into　the　headset。　
　〃Our　mission；〃　he　said；　〃seems　fairly　impossible。〃　
　〃Is　it　the　altitude　of　the　pass？〃　Murphy　asked。　〃Or　the　lack　of　fuel　for　the　return　flight　that　concerns　you　the　most？〃　
　〃Neither；〃　Gurt　said。　〃It's　missing　Sunday　service　and　the　chicken　dinner　afterward。〃　
　Murphy　reached　behind　his　seat　and　retrieved　a　small　pack。　Unzipping　it；　he　removed　a　single　can　and　a　small　blue…covered　book。　〃Spam　and　a　Bible；〃　he　said。　
　〃Excellent；〃　Gurt　noted。　〃I　can　proceed；　then。〃　
　〃Will　there　be　anything　else？〃　Murphy　asked。　
　〃Only　one　more　thing；〃　Gurt　said。　
　〃What's　that？〃　
　〃Keep　your　eyes　ori　the　road；〃　Gurt　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　get　lost。〃　
　〃Not　to　worry；〃　Murphy　said。　〃The　Oregon　is　running　the　　mand　and　control。　This　operation　will　run　like　a　well…oiled　sewing　ma　chine。〃　
　〃I　would　have　felt　better；〃　Gurt　said；　pointing　out　a　herd　of　deer　underneath　that　were　lit　by　the　moon；　〃had　you　said　like　a　puter。〃　
　Murphy　was　staring　at　the　instruments。　〃We're　a　little　hot；〃　he　said。　〃Take　it　down　a　notch。〃　
　Gurt　made　the　adjustment。　They　continued　north。　
　
　AT　ABOUT　THE　same　instant　that　the　Bell　212　carrying　Murphy　and　Gurt　crossed　into　Tibetan　airspace；　Briktin　Gampo　was　steering　the　two…and…a…half…ton　truck　along　a　rutted　dirt　road。　Locating　the　spot　his　Dungkar　cell　leader　had　marked；　he　slowed　and　pulled　to　a　stop。　
　Gampo　was　on　the　flats　just　below　Basatongwula　Shan　in　an　open　meadow　ringed　by　stunted　trees。　Climbing　from　the　truck；　he　walked　around　to　the　rear　and　removed　several　metal　tubes　and　felt　them。　They　were　cold　to　the　touch。　Remembering　what　he　had　been　told；　Gampo　pulled　a　small　fuel　oil　stove　from　the　rear；　moved　a　distance　away；　then　erected　the　legs。　Once　the　stove　was　assembled；　he　removed　some　tent　poles　and　slid　them　inside　an　off…white　canvas　tent　and　hoisted　the　apparatus　into　the　air。　Once　the　tent　was　secure；　he　lit　the　stove；　brought　the　tubes　inside　to　keep　them　warm；　then　went　back　to　the　rear　of　the　truck　and　removed　a　radio；　a　folding　chair　and　a　fur　to　cover　himself　while　he　waited。　
　Then　he　switched　on　the　radio　and　began　to　listen。　
　Outside　the　tent；　thousands　of　stars　flickered　against　the　black　sea　of　deep　space。　A　cold　wind　blew　down　from　the　mountain。　Gampo　pulled　the　fur　closer　around　his　neck　until　the　tent　warmed。　Then　he　patiently　waited　for　the　hours　to　pass。　
　
　ON　THE　OREGON；　Hanley　was　staring　at　the　wall　of　flat…screen　monitors。　Suddenly；　the　satellite　feed　of　the　Russian　troop　concentration　near　Novosibirsk　began　to　display　a　thermal　image　of　tanks　being　started。　At　the　same　instant；　the　secure　telephone　began　to　ring。
　〃We're　a　go；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃I　have　confirmation　over　the　satellite；〃　Hanley　told　him。　〃The　Russian　tanks　are　warming。〃　
　〃Link　my　puter　to　the　Oregon's　data　banks；〃　Cabrillo　ordered。　〃I　want　to　monitor　the　situation　from　here　until　I　arrive。〃　
　Hanley　nodded　to　Stone；　who　typed　in　mands　on　his　puter　keyboard。　
　〃Signal's　going　out；〃　Stone　said　a　minute　later。　
　In　the　Gulfstream　G550；　Cabrillo　stared　at　his　laptop。　Suddenly　the　screen　erupted　with　a　burst　of　light；　then　went　dark；　then　slowly　began　to　glow　again。　The　screen　split　into　six　separate　blocks；　each　duplicating　what　Hanley　was　seeing。　
　〃I've　got　it；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Mr。　Chairman；〃　Hanley　said；　〃call　the　ball。〃　
　〃Proceed　as　planned；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃and　link　me　up　with　Seng。〃　
　〃You　got　it；〃　Hanley　said。　
　
　EDDIE　SENG　WAS　pacing　back　and　forth　inside　the　hangar　in　Thimbu；　Bhutan。　Occasionally　he　would　return　to　the　table　where　the　puter　screen　showed　the　pulsing　red　dot　that　marked　the　progress　of　the　helicopter　carrying　Murphy　and　Gurt。　Then　he　would　walk　around　the　hangar　again　like　a　caged　lion。　
　He　answered　his　telephone　before　the　second　ring。　〃Eddie；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃we're　a　go。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Seng　said。　〃We　have　a　team　already　flying　northI　took　the　liberty；　knowing　we　could　call　them　back　if　necessary。〃
　〃Good　job；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Max？〃
　〃I'm　on　the　three…way；〃　Hanley　said　from　the　Oregon。　〃Send　Seng　the　latest　data　showing　the　airport　near　Lhasa。〃
　〃It's　being　transmitted　now。〃　
　Seng　walked　over　to　the　printer。　A　few　seconds　later；　it　began　to　spit　out　documents。　　
　〃It's　ing　across　now；〃　Seng　noted。　
　〃Okay；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃you　have　your　playbook　and　the　latest　intelligence。　〃　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Seng　said。　
　〃Now　go　take　Gonggar　Airport；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃You　got　it；　boss；〃　Seng　said　eagerly。　
　
　FIVE　A。M。　THE　early…morning　hours　when　drunks　sweat　and　nightmares　grow　ugly。　
　A　cold　wind　was　blowing　across　the　runway　at　Gonggar　Airport；　located　fifty…nine　miles　from　Lhasa。　A　pair　of　Chinese　transport　planes　sat　on　the　far　end　of　the　runway　along　with　three　helicopters。　The　other　Chinese　aircraft　inside　Tibet　had　been　called　north　in　support　of　the　tank　column。　
　Gonggar　Airport　was　as　deserted　as　a　cemetery　on　a　weekday。　
　A　single　janitor　swept　the　chipped　concrete　floor　in　the　crude　main　terminal。　Taking　a　break　to　smoke　a　hand…rolled　cigarette；　he　stepped　outside　and　stood　where　a　wall　shielded　him　from　the　wind。　The　limited　troops　on　duty　at　the　airport　were　sleeping。　They　were　not　due　to　rise　for　another　hour。　
　A　sound　came　up　the　valley。　It　was　a　whoosh；　like　a　well…thrown　football。　Then　a　stark　white…colored　craft　raced　past　at　thirty　feet　above　the　tarmac。　The　strange　object　sped　to　the　end　of　the　airport；　then　made　an　arcing　turn　and　lined　up　for　a　pass。　Suddenly；　twin　streams　of　fire　erupted　from　the　sides　and　a　pair　of　missiles　streaked　toward　the　parked　transport　planes。　
　The　Preda