cc.goldenbuddha-第32节

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　Reyes　pulled　to　the　side　of　the　road　and　the　four　climbed　out。　Walking　through　an　alley；　they　made　their　way　toward　the　Main　Market　and　split　into　groups　of　two。　Back　on　the　street；　the　limousine　sat　running　with　the　door　open。　A　police　officer　would　find　it　there　in　less　than　ten　a　minutes。　But　the　vehicle　had　been　cleaned　of　clues　and　there　would　not　be　much　to　report。　
　
　CABRILLO　TOUCHED　THE　garage　door　opener　halfway　down　the　block　and　the　door　began　to　rise。　Once　the　van　was　inside　and　the　door　had　shut　again；　everyone　piled　out。　〃They　have　descriptions　of　everyone　by　now；〃　he　said　quickly　as　he　popped　the　top　off　a　fifty…five…gallon　drum　containing　their　change　of　clothes　and　disguises；　〃so　change　fast　and　make　an　exit。〃　
　Removing　a　folder　from　the　top　of　the　clothes；　he　set　it　aside　and　quickly　dressed。　Once　he　was　changed；　and　the　others　were　doing　the　same；　he　opened　the　packet　and　began　to　remove　documents。　
　〃A　couple　of　you　are　staying　in　town　tonight；〃　he　said；　removing　passports　and　hotel　reservation　forms。　〃We　don't　want　too　much　traffic　heading　back　to　the　Oregon。　As　always；　the　rule　is　no　boozing；　and　stay　where　we　can　reach　you　so　if　there's　a　change　we　can　alert　you。〃　He　handed　out　the　various　assignments；　then　stared　at　the　group。　〃So　far　so　good；〃　he　said；　just　as　a　siren　approached。　Cabrillo　ran　over　to　a　window；　but　the　car　continued　past　the　building。　〃Fire　truck；〃　he　said。　〃Ross　must　be　safely　away。〃　
　He　walked　back　to　the　group。　〃Okay；　men；〃　he　said；　〃make　like　an　egg　and　scramble。〃　
　Filing　out　through　a　side　door；　the　men　went　their　separate　ways。　
　
　PRYOR　STEERED　THE　Scarab　around　the　end　of　the　Southern　Peninsula；　then　set　a　course　for　where　the　Oregon　was　anchored。　Ross　stepped　into　the　opening　between　the　seats　next　to　the　helm。　〃How's　he　doing？〃　Pryor　asked　over　the　noise　of　the　racing　boat。　〃Not　too　good；〃　Ross　said。　〃He's　lost　some　blood　and　the　top　of　his　ear　as　well。〃　
　〃Is　he　in　pain？〃　
　〃Damn　right；　it　hurts；〃　Reinholt　said。　
　〃We　should　contact　the　Oregon；〃　Pryor　said；　〃so　they　can　have　the　clinic　ready。〃　
　〃We're　on　radio　silence；〃　Ross　said。　〃The　authorities　might　hear。〃　
　Pryor　turned　and　looked　back　at　his　fallen　friend。　Reinholt　smiled　gamely。　〃The　Oregon's　monitoring　all　the　frequencies；　right？〃　he　asked。　
　〃Ground；　sea　and　air；〃　Ross　agreed。　
　〃And　we　need　to　maintain　silence　on　the　marine　bands。〃　
　〃Right。〃　
　〃But　the　helicopter　can　talk；　because　if　it　goes　silent；　air　traffic　control　will　know　something's　up；　right？〃　
　〃Yeah；〃　Ross　said；　suddenly　understanding。　
　Pryor　reached　for　the　walkie…talkie　on　his　belt。　〃These　can　sometimes　transmit　on　the　aviation　bands。〃　
　Ross　grabbed　for　it　and　hit　Scan。　A　few　seconds　later；　a　burgundy　737　passed　overhead　and　Ross　could　hear　the　pilot　receiving　final　clearance。　Pressing　Talk；　she　gave　the　call　sign　for　the　helicopter。　A　few　moments　before；　he　had　landed　and　transferred　Spenser　and　Crabtree　to　a　waiting　car。　He　had　just　returned　to　remove　his　headset　when　the　call　came　in。　Another　two　minutes　and　he　would　have　been　gone。　
　〃Helicopter　four…two；　X…ray；　Alpha；〃　he　said；　〃go　ahead。〃　
　〃Six…three；　report　one　Indio；〃　Ross　said　over　the　roar　of　the　boat's　engines。　

　Sixty　three　was　Ross's　employee　number；　Indio　was　the　code　for　injured　party。　
　On　the　Oregon；　Hanley　reached　for　the　microphone。　〃Helicopter　four…two；　X…ray；　Alpha；　I've　got　it；　continue　to　point　agreed。　Six…three；　report　Indio。〃　
　〃Eight…four。〃　
　〃Get　me　the　file　on　eighty…four；〃　Hanley　shouted　to　an　operator；　who　pulled　up　Reinholt's　records　on　the　puter　screen。　His　blood　type　was　at　the　top　of　the　chart。　
　〃Six…three；　understand；〃　Hanley　said；　〃Bravo　affirm。〃　
　〃Six…three；　ETA　in　five。〃　
　〃Terminate　munications；〃　Hanley　ordered。　
　Ross　clicked　the　button　three　times。　〃Hit　the　gas；〃　she　shouted。　
　〃Go　down　to　the　clinic　and　check　the　blood　supply；〃　Hanley　said；　staring　at　the　puter；　〃we　need　AB　positive　standing　ready。〃　
　〃You；〃　he　said　to　another　operator；　〃go　on　deck　and　watch　for　Linda's　approach　through　the　night　scope。　As　soon　as　you　see　the　boat　approaching；　flash　the　deck　lights；　then　help　her　off…load　the　injured　party。〃　
　〃Got　it；〃　the　man　said；　racing　away。　
　At　that　exact　same　instant；　the　helicopter　pilot　was　pulling　a　white　Chevrolet　SUV　out　of　a　gate　at　the　far　end　of　the　runway。　Driving　down　the　road；　he　stopped　at　a　stop　sign　then　merged　with　the　traffic　leaving　the　airport。　He　was　just　touching　thirty　miles　an　hour　when　two　police　cars　with　flashing　lights　passed　and　then　slowed　to　turn　down　the　road　where　he　had　e　from。　Punching　the　accelerator　to　pass　a　bus；　he　turned　to　Crabtree。　
　〃That　was　close；〃　he　said。　
　Crabtree　was　checking　Spenser's　pulse　by　placing　her　hand　on　his　jugular。　
　〃True；　but　we're　free　and　clear；〃　she　said。　
　
　As　soon　as　the　davit　stopped　in　its　arc；　he　pushed　another　switch。　Four　of　what　looked　like　rusty　metal　plates　rose　from　the　deck　of　the　ship　and　surrounded　the　Scarab。　Then　he　pushed　another　button　and　a　retractable　roof　slid　closed　over　the　vessel。　By　the　time　the　patrol　boat　passed　alongside　in　the　channel；　the　man　was　already　inside　and　making　his　way　to　the　clinic。　
　
　THE　BOAT　SLID　alongside　the　Oregon　and　Pryor　grabbed　a　line　tossed　through　the　air。　Tying　the　Scarab　into　the　sling　that　would　lift　it　back　onto　the　deck；　he　waited　until　Ross　and　the　operator　from　the　control　room　had　carried　off　Reinholt。　Then　he　loosened　the　lines　and　positioned　the　Scarab　in　the　slings　that　were　already　in　the　water　Shutting　off　the　engines；　he　climbed　off　the　boat　and　walked　over　to　'　switch　on　a　nearby　bulkhead。　Slowly　the　Scarab　rose　from　the　watei　Once　it　was　clear　of　the　upper　deck；　he　pushed　another　button　tha　rotated　the　davits　around　so　the　Scarab　was　over　the　deck。　The　entire　operation　required　only　a　few　minutes　and　that　was　good。　In　the　distance；　across　the　water；　he　could　see　the　sweep　of　the　searchlight　from　a　police　patrol　boat。　
　
　IN　HIS　DISGUISE；　Juan　Cabrillo　looked　like　an　aging　academic　or　a　retired　bureaucrat；　not　the　leader　of　a　group　of　specialized　operatives。　Walking　through　downtown　Macau；　he　fiddled　with　his　personal　municator；　then　waited　for　Hanley　to　answer。　
　At　this　instant；　his　team　was　about　one…quarter　of　the　way　through　the　assignment　and　there　was　still　a　host　of　variables。　The　first　part　of　the　operation　had　gone　wellthe　team　had　loaded　the　Buddha　onto　the　helicopter　as　planned　and　made　a　smooth　exit；　but　he　had　no　way　to　know　the　progress　of　team　two。　That　information　would　e　from　the　control　room　on　the　Oregon。　
　Cabrillo　had　just　passed　a　goldsmith's　shop　when　his　municator　　vibrated。　
　An　address　was　displayed　and　he　made　his　way　toward　the　location。　
　
　〃YES；　SIR；〃　THE　Macau　police　officer　said　into　a　cellular　telephone；　〃both　he　and　his　wife　were　bound　and　left　in　bed。〃　
　〃Were　they　harmed？〃　Po　asked。　
　〃No；　sir；〃　the　policeman　said。　〃In　fact；　whoever　did　this　left　music　playing　on　the　stereo　to　entertain　them；　and　a　note　of　apology。〃　
　〃How　were　they　restrained？〃　Po　asked。　〃Do　they　have　a　description　of　the　assailants？〃　
　〃No；〃　the　policeman　admitted；　〃they　witnessed　nothing。　Both　of　them　have　small　punctures　on　their　upper　arms；　like　they　were　given　shots　from　a　hypodermic　needle；　and　they　were　bound　with　plastic　ties。　They　only　awoke　when　we　arrived。〃　
　Whoever　this　crew　was；　they　were　goodPo　had　to　give　them　that。　
　〃Take　the　note　to　the　lab；〃　he　said；　〃and　make　sure　the　technicians　carefully　search　the　house　for　clues。〃
　〃They're　doing　that　now；　sir；〃　the　policeman　said。　
　〃Good；〃　Po　said；　〃I'll　be　in　touch。〃　
　He　disconnected　and　turned　to　Rhee。　
　〃They　drugged　the　insurance　man　and　his　wife；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃and　left　a　note　of　apology。〃　
　Stanley　Ho　was　being　increasingly　agitated。　Not　only　had　he　been　made　a　fool　ofhe　had　been　made　a　fool　of　in　an　open　and　obvious　manner。　It　was　that　son…of…a…bitch　British　art　dealer。　
　〃So　I　was　set　up　from　the　start；〃　Ho　said　loudly。　〃The　countess　was　fake；　her　illness　a　ploy　and　the　air　evacuation　a　ruse。〃　
　Po　raised　his　hand　to　be　quiet　as　his　telephone　rang　again。　
　〃Po。〃　
　〃Sir；〃　the　officer　said；　〃we　entered　the　apartment　in　the　high…rise　and　found　a　woman　named　Iselda　tied　up　in　her　closet。〃　
　〃Was　she　harmed？〃　
　〃Other　than　severe　nicotine　deprivation；　no；〃　the　officer　said。　〃She's　smoked　half　a　pack　of　cigarettes　since　we　untied　her。〃　
　〃Did　she　see　her　assailants？〃　
　〃She　said　it　was　like　staring　into　a　mirror；〃　the　policeman　relayed。　
　〃A　woman　disguised　to　look　like　her　popped　out　of　the　closet　and　held　a　rag　soaked　with　something　to　her　mouth。　That's　all　she　remembers。〃　
　Po　held　his　hand　over　the　cell　phone　and　spoke　to　Rhee。　〃They　switched　the　party　planner。〃　
　Ho　raised　his　hands　in　the　air　and　began　cursing。　
　〃Carefully　search　the　apartment　for　clues；〃　Po　ordered。　〃Then　have　the　kidnapped　woman　fill　out　a　report　at　the　station　house。〃　
　〃Got　it；　boss；〃　the　officer　said　as　Po　hung　up。　
　Rhee's　mind　was　almost　back　to　normal。　He　paced　the　living　room　as　he　spoke。　
　〃This　was　a　high…budget；　carefully　orchestrated　operation；〃　he　said。　〃So　let's　take　a　minute　and　look　at　what　happened　from　the　sta