cc.goldenbuddha-第16节

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　〃You　know　I've　never　been　a　big　fan　of　the　Chinese；〃　the　Russian　president　said；　〃but　the　foreign　aid　is　only　a　bandage。　My　country's　factories　need　orders　for　our　economy　to　mend　itself。〃　
　The　president　nodded。　〃The　biggest…ticket　items　in　my　budget　are　always　the　military　planes　and　ships。　The　Taiwanese　have　got　a　shopping　list　a　mile　long。　What　if　I　could　steer　some　of　that　business　your　way？〃　
　The　Russian　president　smiled。　〃You　are　a　crafty　one；〃　he　said。　〃You've　managed　to　give　me　what　my　country　needs　while　at　the　same　time　pitting　us　against　the　Chinese；　who　as　you　well　know　make　an　enemy　of　anyone　who　befriends　Taiwan。〃　
　The　president　rose　from　the　chair　and　stretched。　〃Now；　Vlad；〃　he　said；　〃isn't　that　the　nucleus　of　negotiationto　give　both　sides　what　they　want？〃　
　〃I　think；〃　the　Russian　president　said；　rising；　〃we　may　just　have　a　deal。〃　
　〃Good；　then；〃　the　president　said；　motioning　toward　the　dining　hall。　〃What　do　you　say　we　go　see　what　kind　of　pie　the　chef　has　in　the　oven？〃　
　〃THE　GOLD　WAS　mined　somewhere　in　the　area　of　Burma；〃　the　…A。　scientist　said　when　the　billionaire　returned；　clutching　a　paper　cup　of　tea。　
　〃Can　you　be　more　specific？〃　
　〃South　of　the　twenty…degrees　latitude　line；　which　means　southern　Vietnam；　Laos；　Thailand　or　Burma。　I　can　try　to　pin　it　down　more；　but　it　will　take　time。〃　
　The　billionaire　sipped　the　tea；　then　shook　his　head　back　and　forth。　〃Don't　bother；　you　said　the　magic　word。〃　
　The　billionaire　started　toward　the　door　while　at　the　same　time　removing　a　cellular　telephone　from　his　belt。　〃Bring　the　car　around；〃　he　said　to　the　driver。　Then　he　disconnected　and　reached　for　the　door。　
　〃Do　you　want　your　gold　back？〃　the　scientist　shouted　across　the　laboratory。　
　〃Keep　it；〃　the　billionaire　shouted。　〃I've　got　a　lot　more　where　that　came　from。〃　
　〃You're　most　generous；〃　the　scientist　muttered　as　he　scraped　the　sample　from　the　now…cool　plate　and　slid　it　into　the　envelope　with　the　other。　
　Carrying　the　envelope　over　to　his　desk；　he　tossed　it　into　the　top　drawer。　Then　he　walked　to　the　door；　shut　off　the　lights；　and　locked　the　door　to　the　laboratory　behind　him。　A　few　minutes　later；　he　was　tooling　across　campus　on　his　moped；　still　shaking　his　head　at　the　strange　encounter。　
　Hanley　said。　〃I'll　break　out　a　repeater　we　can　place　on　Barra　Hill　so　we're　not　using　local　channels。〃　
　〃Better　place　a　beacon　up　there；　too；〃　Nixon　said；　glancing　at　the　clipboard。　〃Murphy　wants　a　fixed　targeting　point　if　he　needs　to　loose　a　missile。〃　
　〃Murphy；〃　Hanley　said；　shaking　his　head；　〃he'd　drive　a　thumbtack　with　a　sledgehammer。〃　
　Nixon　turned　on　an　exhaust　vent；　then　slid　his　leg　over　the　motorcycle　and　poked　the　kick　starter。　The　machine　roared　to　life　and　settled　into　an　idle。　Shutting　it　off；　he　moved　toward　the　second　motorcycle　and　repeated　the　process。　The　hours　passed　as　the　pair　of　men　checked　then　double…checked　the　equipment。　
　　
　INSIDE　A　STORAGE　hold　on　the　lower　level　of　the　Oregon；　Hanley　was　standing　with　Kevin　Nixon；　staring　at　a　collection　of　wheeled　conveyances。　
　〃For　certain；　we　should　have　a　couple　of　the　motorcycles　and　at　j　least　one　of　the　all…terrain　vehicles　prepared；〃　Hanley　said。　
　Nixon　nodded；　then　walked　over　to　one　of　the　motorcycles。　Since　the　last　time　it　had　been　used；　it　had　been　cleaned　and　oiled。　All　the　tools　used　by　the　Corporation　were　kept　in　a　constant　state　of　readiJ　nessit　was　one　of　the　easiest　ways　to　ensure　success。　
　〃I'll　go　ahead　and　test　run　everything；〃　Nixon　said。　〃Want　me　to　fabricate　Macau　license　plates　for　each？〃　
　〃Sounds　good；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Just　standard　tags；　nothing　diplomatic。〃　
　Nixon　stared　at　the　clipboard　with　the　sheet　of　paper　Cabrillo　had　prepared　earlier。　〃Looks　like　Ross　wants　earpiece　munications　for　the　ground　operators；　with　a　secondary　channel　to　reach　the　ship。〃　
　〃Make　sure　the　batteries　are　charged；　and　check　everything　out；〃　
　
　AT　THE　SAME　instant；　closer　to　the　stern；　Mark　Murphy　was　in　the　armory。　The　room　had　a　bench　containing　reloading　equipment　and　rows　of　drawers　containing　ammunition；　charges；　timers　and　fuses。　Along　the　walls　were　a　series　of　recessed　cases　that　housed　automatic　weapons；　rifles　and　handguns。　The　room　smelled　of　gunpowder；　metal　and　oil。　
　Parts　of　a　U。S。　Army　M…16　sat　atop　a　piece　of　cloth　on　the　bench。　Murphy　pushed　the　button　on　a　digital　timer；　then　reached　for　the　stock　and　began　to　assemble　the　weapon。　A　minute　later；　he　pushed　the　timer　again；　then　raised　his　hands　in　the　air。　One　minute　and　four　secondshe　was　slow　today。　Walking　over　to　an　ammunition　drawer；　he　began　to　remove　banana　clips　and　load　them　with　different　types　of　ordnance。　
　〃God；　I　love　my　job；〃　he　said　aloud。　
　THE　VAN　WAS　entering　the　bridge　leading　from　Macau　to　Taipa。　〃The　Minutemen；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Where　did　you　e　up　with　that　name？〃　
　〃It　could　be　construed　as　an　homage　to　Paul　Revere　and　the　revolutionary　way；〃　Truitt　said；　laughing。　
　〃Wouldn't　that　be　Paul　Revere　and　The　Raiders？〃　Jones　said。　
　〃But　in　fact；〃　Truitt　continued；　〃it's　the　name　of　the　band　that　was　already　hired。〃　
　〃Won't　it　be　crowded　when　two　bands　show　up？〃　Ross　asked。　
　〃It　would　be；　but　the　real　Minutemen；　a　California　cover　band　doing　a　tour　of　the　Far　East；　was　detained　in　Bangkok　after　a　two…week　stint　in　the　Phuket　bars。　Apparently　a　customs　official　found　a　joint　in　the　drummer's　shaving　kit。〃　
　〃Planted？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Had　to；〃　Truitt　noted。　〃The　Minutemen　are　probably　the　only　band　in　these　parts　that　are　cleanthey　met　one　another　in　a　twelve…step　group。〃　
　〃The　boys　sound　all　right；〃　Meadows　said。　〃You　can't　fault　someone　who's　turned　his　life　aroundwe　shouldn't　let　them　rot　in　a　Thailand　prison。〃　
　〃Not　to　worry；　the　customs　official　is　on　our　payroll；〃　Truitt　said。　〃There's　no　record　of　the　stop。　One　of　our　people　in　California　made　contact　with　their　management　pany　and　explained　the　situation；　and　we　upgraded　them　to　first　class　for　the　flight　home　since　the　Macau　gig　was　the　last　one　on　the　tour。　Right　now；　the　Minutemen　are　convinced　they　were　critically　helpful　in　the　war　on　terrorismas　per　our　standard　cover　story。〃　
　The　van　rolled　onto　Taipa　and　started　across　the　island。　
　〃I　just　have　one　question；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Which　one　of　us　is　the　lead　singer？〃　
　
　THE　DALAI　LAMA　walked　down　the　steps　of　the　jet　in　Jalandhar；　in　the　Punjab　province　of　India；　into　an　unusually　hot　day。　Despite　his　forty…five　years　in　exile　in　India；　he　had　never　learned　to　adjust　to　the　weather。　His　Holiness　was　a　man　from　the　mountains　and　he　missed　snow　and　cold　temperatures。　He　sniffed　the　air　for　the　slightest　smell　from　the　glaciers　far　to　the　north。　Instead　of　snow　and　pine　trees；　his　nose　was　assaulted　by　fumes　from　the　trucks　passing　by　the　airport　on　the　traffic…packed　highway。　
　He　smiled　anyway　and　gave　thanks。　
　〃Looks　like　my　transportation　is　here；〃　he　said　to　Overholt；　who　had　joined　him　on　the　tarmac。　
　A　large；　single…engine　Cessna　Caravan　was　nearby；　with　a　pilot　doing　a　walk…around。　
　〃Very　good；　Your　Holiness；〃　Overholt　said。　
　〃As　soon　as　I　return；　I　will　meet　with　my　advisors　and　the　oracle；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　staring　directly　into　Overholt's　eyes。　〃If　they　agree　and　you　can　ensure　me　no　bloodshed；　then　I　will　agree　to　the　plan　we　have　designed。〃　
　〃Thank　you；　Your　Holiness。〃　
　The　Dalai　Lama　began　to　walk　toward　the　Cessna；　then　stopped　and　turned　around。　〃I　will　pray　for　your　father　and　for　you；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃and　pray　this　all　works　out。〃　
　Overholt　simply　smiled　as　the　Dalai　Lama　turned　and　walked　over　to　the　steps；　then　climbed　into　the　Cessna　for　the　rest　of　his　journey。　As　soon　as　he　was　seated；　the　Dalai　Lama　turned　to　one　of　his　assistants。　〃As　soon　as　we　arrive　in　Little　Lhasa；　I　will　need　the　trunk　containing　the　Golden　Buddha　documents　brought　to　my　office。〃　
　The　assistant　scribbled　notes　on　a　small　pad。　
　〃Then　I　will　need　to　see　my　doctor；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃There　is　something　wrong　with　my　physical　shell。〃　
　〃As　ordered；　Your　Holiness；〃　the　aide　said；　〃I　shall　do。〃　The　pilot　started　the　engine　on　the　Cessna　and　ran　through　his　checks。　Four　minutes　later　he　was　rolling　toward　a　runway；　and　a　few　minutes　after　that　he　was　airborne。　Overholt　stood　on　the　tarmac　and　watched　as　the　Cessna　lifted　off　the　ground　and　made　a　climbing　turn　to　the　right。　The　Caravan　was　just　a　speck　against　the　backdrop　of　the　white　cloud　cover　before　he　turned　to　the　pilot　of　the　Falcon。　
　〃Mind　if　I　catch　a　ride　back　to　Santa　Monica　with　you？〃　he　asked。　〃We're　going　that　way　anyway；　sir；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Might　as　well　tag　along。〃　
　
　
　OVERHOLT　HAD　A　quality　that　was　often　overlooked　in　successful　spies。　He　could　sleep　anywhere。　By　the　time　the　jet　stopped　for　fuel　in　Taiwan；　the　several　hours　of　sleep　had　renewed　his　vigor。　As　the　plane　was　being　fueled；　he　walked　a　distance　away　and　unfolded　his　portable　telephone；　then　dialed　a　number　from　memory。　
　Bouncing　off　a　satellite；　the　signal　arrived　in　the　Marshall　Islands　in　the　Pacific；　then　was　redirected　toward　the　ultimate　destination。　The　signal　was　scrambled　and　untraceable　and　there　was　no　way　to　determine　where　the　receiving　party　was　actually　located。　The　voice　answered　with　an　extens