cc.goldenbuddha-第66节

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on　as　the　helicopter　settled　on　the　skids；　he　slumped　over　in　the　harness　and　sat　unmoving。　
　Murphy　started　to　unsnap　him　from　the　belt　as　he　waited　for　the　helicopter　to　cool；　then　turned　the　engines　off　and　waited　for　the　rotor　to　stop　spinning。　Then　he　quickly　climbed　from　his　seat　and　raced　around　to　the　pilot's　door。　With　Gampo's　help；　they　carried　Gurt　inside　the　tent。　
　Then　Murphy　began　to　cut　off　his　flight　suit　with　a　knife。　
　The　cloth　was　saturated　by　blood　and　the　wound　was　still　leaking。　
　
　〃SIR；〃　THE　PILOT　of　the　Gulfstream　said；　〃we're　on　final　approach。〃　
　Cabrillo　stared　out　the　window。　Smoke　was　still　rising　from　the　burning　wreckage　at　the　far　end　of　Gonggar　Airport。　The　sun　was　over　the　horizon　and　he　could　just　catch　sight　of　Lhasa　sixty　miles　distant。　Staring　up　the　aisle；　through　the　open　cockpit　door　and　out　the　windshield；　he　could　see　a　lumbering　silver　plane　some　seventy　feet　above　the　runway　climbing　out　and　away。　On　the　ground　were　several　trucks　driving　down　the　road　away　from　the　airfield。　
　They　were　a　hundred　feet　above　the　runway　and　two　hundred　yards　downwind。　Two　minutes　later；　the　tires　touched　the　tarmac　with　a　squeal。　The　pilot　taxied　off　the　runway　near　the　terminal　and　stopped。　The　turbines　were　still　spinning　when　Cabrillo　climbed　out。　
　
　CHAIRMAN　ZHUREN　HAD　tape　across　his　eyes　and　his　wrists　were　taped　behind　his　back。　The　dark…haired　man　that　had　burst　into　his　bedroom　was　pulling　him　quickly　along。　Zhuren　could　hear　a　noisy　crowd　of　people　nearby。　Then　distant　gunfire　rang　out　from　a　few　blocks　away。　
　The　thumping　of　a　distant　helicopter　grew　louder。　
　King　watched　through　the　scope　as　Reyes　led　Zhuren　through　the　crowd。　He　could　see　Reyes　ordering　the　Dungkar　soldiers　with　him　to　clear　the　people　away　from　the　landing　zone。　Turning；　he　glanced　from　his　perch　a　few　blocks　away　to　where　the　armored　personnel　carriers　were　approaching。　Crowds　of　Tibetans　were　trying　to　stop　them　but　they　were　being　felled　by　bursts　of　machine…gun　fire。　The　lead　APC　was　ing　down　a　narrow　street；　with　Tibetans　fleeing　from　the　front。　He　watched　as　it　ran　over　the　fallen　body　of　a　Tibetan　freedom　fighter。　It　flattened　the　body　like　a　frog　on　a　train　track。　
　Reaching　into　his　bag；　he　removed　a　belt　of　ammunition　containing　armor…piercing　rounds　and　slid　them　into　the　。50。　The　helicopter　was　just　about　to　touch　down　when　he　started　firing。　
　Ten　shots　in　seven　seconds。　Ten　more　for　good　measure。　
　The　lead　APC　ground　to　a　halt。　The　ones　to　the　rear　stopped　also。　
　The　sound　of　the　helicopter　was　loud　in　Zhuren's　ears。　He　felt　himself　being　pulled　from　inside　and　pushed　from　outside　into　a　seat；　then　he　felt　someone　slide　in　next　to　him。　He　sniffed　the　air。　It　was　the　dark…haired　man；　the　man　who　had　yanked　him　from　safety　into　the　unknown。　
　The　helicopter　lifted　off。　
　〃They　will　hover　above　us　and　we'll　climb　inside；〃　King　said　to　his　Dungkar　assistant。　
　〃Mr。　Sir；〃　the　Tibetan　said；　〃can　I　stay？〃　
　〃What's　your　plan？〃　King　asked。　
　The　Tibetan　pointed　to　where　his　countrymen　were　swarming　over　the　disabled　APC。　
　The　helicopter　was　almost　to　the　rooftop。　King　reached　into　his　satchel　and　removed　a　black　cloth　bag。　〃These　are　hand　grenades；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　know　how　they　work？〃　
　〃Pull　the　metal　thing　and　run？〃　the　Dungkar　said；　smiling。　〃You　got　it；〃　King　said；　〃but　keep　your　people　back　when　you　use　themthese　will　shred　a　human　like　cheese　in　a　grater。〃　
　The　helicopter　was　above　the　rooftop　and　lowering　down。　The　Tibetan　grabbed　the　bag　and　started　for　the　ladder　down。　〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　the　Dungkar　soldier　shouted。　〃Good　luck；〃　King　shouted　as　a　pair　of　hands　from　inside　the　helicopter　reached　for　him　and　he　stepped　up　onto　the　skid；　then　ducked　down　and　climbed　inside。　
　〃How's　things？〃　Reyes　shouted　after　the　door　was　closed　and　the　helicopter　had　turned　back　toward　Gonggar　Airport。　
　〃You　know　what　they　say；〃　King　said　wearily。　〃We　do　more　before　lunch　than　most　people　do　all　day。〃　
　
　〃MR。　SENG；〃　CABRILLO　said；　〃excellent　job　so　far。〃　A　cold　wind　was　blowing　from　the　north。　It　bore　the　scent　of　forests　and　glaciers；　aviation　fuel　and　gunpowder。　Cabrillo　zipped　the　leather　jacket　he　was　wearing　tighter　around　his　neck；　then　reached　in　his　rear　pocket　and　removed　a　carefully　folded　white　handkerchief　and　dabbed　his　nose；　which　was　running。　
　〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　Seng　said。　〃Here's　the　most　current　situation　report。　Murphy　and　the　contract　pilot　managed　to　get　the　charges　placed　and　cause　the　avalanche　at　the　pass。　Any　Chinese　armor　is　now　effectively　immobilized。　Even　if　they　decided　to　ignore　the　Russian　advance　and　try　to　return　to　Lhasa　now；　their　only　route　would　cost　them　at　least　forty…eight　hours　of　transit　time；　and　that　is　z/the　weather　holds。〃
　〃Problems　with　that　operation？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　〃The　contract　pilot；　one　Gurt　Guenther；　was　hit　by　small…arms　fire；〃　Seng　said。　〃The　extent　of　his　injuries　is　unknown。〃　
　〃You've　dispatched　backup？〃　
　〃A　relief　helicopter　with　Kasim　aboard　is　en　route；〃　Seng　said；　〃but　they　made　it　to　the　fuel　stop　and　managed　to　land；　so　Guenther　might　not　be　too　critical。　The　way　it　stands　now　is　that　if　Murphy's　team　can　fly　themselves　out；　we　can　call　back　Kasim。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃We　might　just　need　him　here。〃　
　〃Speaking　of　the　weather；〃　Seng　said；　〃we　are　going　to　catch　a　late　spring　storm　this　afternoon；　then　it　will　clear　for　tomorrow　and　the　next　few　days。　The　estimate　is　two　to　three　inches　of　snow；　and　for　the　temperature　to　go　below　freezing　before　a　slow　warming　trend。〃　
　〃The　weather　has　the　same　impact　on　us　as　on　the　Chinese；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃but　it　is　a　possible　advantage　for　the　Dungkar　forces。　We'll　score　it　in　Tibet's　favor。〃　
　From　far　in　the　east　came　the　sound　of　an　approaching　helicopter。　Cabrillo　stared　in　the　distance　and　tried　to　make　out　which　type　it　was。　
　〃That's　one　of　ours；　sir；〃　Seng　said。　〃It　contains　Reyes；　King　and　Legchog　Zhuren。〃　
　〃Excellent。〃　
　The　two　men　started　walking　closer　to　the　terminal。　Zhuren　would　end　up　there　soon　enough。　
　〃We　have　managed　to　field　an　attack　helicopter　liberated　from　the　Chinese　and　piloted　by　Mr。　Adams。　Also　a　cargo　plane　we　modified　into　a　gunship　with　Gunderson　at　the　controls；　as　well　as　the　rental　Bells　and　the　Predator。〃　
　〃An　excellent　air　armada　for　the　newly　resurrected　Tibetan　military；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Everything　else　in　the　plan　has　taken　place　at　the　correct　time；〃　Seng　said；　〃but　there　is　one　problem　that　has　arisen。　I　discovered　it　when　questioning　a　captured　Chinese　lieutenant。〃　
　〃What？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Because　the　Chinese　troops　in　Tibet　have　always　been　outnumbered；〃　Seng　said；　〃if　they　were　overrunand　I　mean　a　Broken　Arrow　situation；　no　hope　at　allthe　plan　called　for　them　to　gas　the　Tibetan　rebels　with　an　airborne　paralyzing　agent。〃　
　〃The　drums　must　be　marked　with　some　symbols；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃We'll　just　call　Washington　and　receive　remendations　for　how　to　
　disable　it。〃　
　〃That's　the　problem；〃　Seng　said　loudly　over　the　sound　of　the　helicopter　hovering　to　land。　〃The　lieutenant　doesn't　know　where　it　was　stored。　He　only　knows　it　exists。〃　
　Cabrillo　reached　into　his　coat　pocket　and　removed　a　Cuban　cigar。　Biting　off　the　end；　he　spit　the　plug　to　the　side；　then　reached　for　a　Zippo　lighter　with　the　other　hand　and　did　a　single…hand　light。　He　puffed　the　cigar　to　life　before　speaking。　
　〃I　have　a　feeling；　Mr。　Seng；　it's　going　to　be　a　long　day。〃　
　
　MURPHY　WAS　ANGRY。　Gampo　had　left　him　alone　in　the　tent　with　a　weak　and　bleeding　Gurt。　If　this　was　the　way　the　feared　Dung…kar　reacted　to　blood；　they'd　lose　this　war　before　it　ever　started。　The　Oregon　was　sending　help；　but　even　at　the　fastest　cruising　speed　the　Bell　could　fly；　that　would　be　hours　away。　Gurt；　his　friend　and　fellow　warrior；　was　growing　weaker　by　the　minute。　His　skin　was　an　ugly　gray　and　he　was　drifting　in　and　out　of　consciousness。　
　Just　then　the　flap　of　the　tent　was　pulled　back　and　Gampo　entered。　He　was　carrying　a　handful　of　long…bladed　grass　clippings　in　one　hand　and　what　looked　like　a　wet　dirt　clod　in　the　other；　and　under　his　chin　was　a　chunk　of　meat　from　some　unspecified　beast。　〃Where　the　hell　did　you　go？〃　Murphy　said。　
　〃Stir　the　fire　in　the　stove；〃　Gampo　said　quietly；　setting　down　the　grass　and　mud；　〃then　add　these　to　the　fire；〃　he　added；　removing　a　leather　pouch　with　powdered　minerals　inside。　〃We　need　a　good　amount　of　smoke　inside　the　tent。　Once　you　have　that　done；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　meat；　〃cook　that　in　with　the　tea　and　make　me　a　meat　broth。〃　Murphy　stared　at　Gampo　as　if　he　were　crazy。　
　But　the　Tibetan　was　already　busy　cleaning　and　bandaging　Gurt's　wound；　so　Murphy　did　as　he　was　told。　Two　minutes　later；　the　tent　was　filled　with　a　smoke　that　smelled　somewhat　like　cinnamon　cloves　washed　in　lemon。　Three　more　minutes　and　Gampo　stood　upright　and　stared　at　Murphy。　Then　he　motioned　to　help　him　prop　Gurt　up。　The　grass　and　mud　had　dried　into　a　pair　of　oblong　bandages　front　and　rear。　They　adhered　to　his　skin　like　plaster　of　paris　laced　with　glue。　Gurt's　eyes　began　to　flicker　open　and　he　drew　a　few　deep　breaths。　
　〃Give　him　the　broth　of　the　bear；〃　Gampo　said。　〃I'll　go　gas　up　your　flying　ship。〃　
　
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