cc.goldenbuddha-第35节

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te　of　one　every　few　minutes。〃　
　Hu　Jintao　was　examining　a　photograph　with　a　magnifying　glass。　〃Tanks；　personnel　carriers；　attack　helicopters　are　already　on　the　ground。〃　
　The　head　of　the　Chinese　army　handed　Jintao　a　photograph。　〃The　amount　of　supplies　already　on　the　ground　can　support　nearly　forty　thousand　ground　troops；　and　more　is　arriving　every　minute。〃　
　〃I've　already　contacted　Legchog　Zhuren　in　Tibet；〃　Jintao　said。　〃He's　mobilized　his　forces　and　they　are　starting　toward　the　northern　border。〃　
　〃How　many　men　are　under　his　control？〃　the　foreign　secretary　asked。　
　〃He　has　twenty　thousand　bat　and　support　troops　in　Tibet；〃　the　head　of　the　Chinese　army　answered。　
　〃Then　it's　already　two　to　one；〃　the　foreign　secretary　noted。　
　Jintao　pushed　the　photographs　aside。　〃To　maintain　control　inside　Tibet；　we　have　sponsored　mass　immigration　from　the　other　regions　of　China　over　the　years。　Zhuren　has　mobilized　the　Chinese　citizens　in　Tibet　and　drafted　them　into　the　army。　That　gives　us　nearly　twenty　thousand　more　that　are　of　the　right　age　to　serve。　Some　have　already　left　Lhasa　for　the　march　northwe　are　trying　to　train　them　as　they　travel。〃
　〃The　Russians　have　crack　troops；〃　the　head　of　the　Chinese　army　said。　〃Our　recently　recruited　farmers　and　shopkeepers　will　be　wiped　out。〃　
　〃That's　if　the　Russians　cross　the　border；〃　the　foreign　secretary　noted。　〃They　are　still　claiming　through　diplomatic　channels　that　this　is　just　an　exercise。〃　
　〃That's　a　damn　big　exercise；〃　Jintao　said　quietly。　
　He　sat　back　in　his　chair　to　think。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　was　to　face　off　with　the　Russiansbut　he　could　not　back　down　from　the　threat；　either。　
　
　THE　BOEING　737　was　still　undergoing　customs　inspection　when　Cabrillo　and　the　others　arrived　at　their　rented　hangar。　Spenser　had　started　to　e　out　of　his　stupor　a　few　minutes　before。　Adams　opened　the　rear　door　of　the　white　SUV；　then　waved　smelling　salts　under　his　nose。　Spenser　shook　his　head　several　times；　then　cracked　open　his　eyes。　Adams　helped　him　to　his　feet　just　outside　the　door　of　the　Chevrolet。　Spenser　stood　on　the　floor　of　the　hangar　on　wobbly　legs　and　tried　to　remember　what　had　happened。　
　〃e　here；〃　Adams　said；　leading　him　over　to　a　chair　alongside　a　Workbench　and　seating　him。　
　With　the　help　of　Kevin　Nixon；　Cabrillo　was　erecting　the　folding　ramp　to　unload　the　fake　speaker　case　holding　the　faux　Buddha。　Nixon　had　arrived　at　the　hangar　several　hours　earlier　and　had　been　busy　ever　since。　

　〃Is　everything　ready？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Nixon　said　as　he　grabbed　one　side　of　the　speaker　case。　
　The　two　men　rolled　the　case　onto　the　wheeled　metal　conveyor。　When　it　reached　the　end；　they　tilted　the　case　upright；　folded　the　legs　of　the　ramp　under；　then　bent　it　in　half　on　the　hinges　and　slid　it　back　into　the　SUV。　
　〃We　have　the　clothes？〃　Cabrillo　inquired。　
　〃I　stopped　at　his　hotel　room　on　the　way　over。　His　bags　were　already　packed；〃　Nixon　said。　
　〃The　best…laid　plans；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃of　mice　and　men。〃　Cabrillo；　followed　by　Nixon；　walked　over　to　where　Spenser　was　　sitting。　
　The　art　dealer　stared　up　at　Cabrillo。　〃You　look　familiar；〃　he　said　slowly。　
　〃We've　never　met；〃　Cabrillo　said　coldly；　〃but　I　know　a　lot　about　　you。〃　
　〃Who　are　you　people？〃　Spenser　said；　shaking　his　head　to　clear　the　fog；　〃and　what　do　you　want　from　me？〃　
　Adams　was　standing　a　few　feet　from　Spenser。　While　his　rugged　good　looks　did　not　make　him　appear　menacing；　Spenser　was　sure　that　if　he　tried　to　stand；　he　wouldn't　get　far。　Cabrillo　walked　right　in　front　of　the　art　dealer　and　invaded　his　space。　He　stared　into　Spenser's　eyes　and　spoke　quietly。　
　〃Right　about　now；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃you're　not　in　a　good　position；　so　shut　up　and　listen。　A　few　miles　from　here；　you　have　one　infuriated　Asian　billionaire　who　is　convinced　you　bilked　him　out　of　a　couple　of　hundred　million　dollars。　And　contrary　to　what　you　might　think；　he　is　not　a　nice　manhe　launched　his　fortune　by　running　drugs　for　an　Asian　triad；　and　though　he's　legitimized　his　actions；　he's　still　connected。　I　would　guess　he's　already　made　a　call；　and　the　entire　criminal　element　of　this　country　is　searching　for　you　as　we　speak。〃　
　〃What　are　you〃　Spenser　began　to　say。　
　〃You're　not　listening；〃　Cabrillo　said　acidly。　〃We　know　yu　switched　Buddhas　and　were　just　about　to　resell　the　icon。　If　you　cooperate；　we　will　give　you　a　chance　to　run。　Otherwise；　we'll　do　the　switch　anyway；　then　phone　Ho　and　tell　him　where　you　can　be　found。　As　they　say；　you　are　out　of　options。〃　
　Spenser　thought　wildly　for　a　moment。　Without　the　sale　of　the　Buddha；　he　was　financially　ruined。　But　as　soon　as　word　got　around　about　what　he　had　tried　here　in　Macau；　his　life　as　an　art　dealer　was　finished。　His　only　hope　was　to　change　his　identity　and　disappear。　Escape　to　some　faraway　place　and　start　his　life　anew。　He　truly　was　out　of　options。　
　〃I　can't　run　without　papers；〃　he　said。　〃Can　you　help　me　there？〃　
　Cabrillo　had　him　and　he　knew　itnow　he　just　needed　to　reel　him　into　the　boat。　
　〃Kevin；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃are　you　linked　to　the　ship？〃　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Nixon　answered。　
　〃Good；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Then　shoot　Mr。　Spenser　for　me。〃　
　〃My　pleasure；〃　Nixon　said。　
　
　THE　LAST　FERRY　from　Hong　Kong　slowed　near　the　dock　and　the　captain　began　manipulating　the　thrusters　to　line　the　ship　up　with　the　dock。　On　the　bow；　a　man　wearing　highly　polished　Cole　Haan　loafers；　a　pair　of　lightweight　wool　pleated　slacks　and　a　silk…andcotton…blend　shirt　waited　to　depart。　His　hair　was　longer　than　usual　and　wavy；　and　tucked　into　his　shirt　was　a　cravat　of　fine　silk。　If　you　knew　what　to　look　for；　the　signs　of　a　face…lift　were　barely　visible。　But　one　would　need　to　look　close；　as　it　had　been　an　expensive　and　painstaking　operation。　Save　for　the　fact　that　the　man　was　exhausted　from　the　flight　from　Indonesia　to　Hong　Kong；　and　the　long　day　he　had　already　faced；　you　might　not　have　noticed　anything　odd　about　him　at　all。　
　The　man　was　forty…five　but　appeared　a　decade　younger。　
　He　watched　the　deckhands　secure　the　lines。　The　men　were　young　and　fit　and　he　liked　that。　He　liked　the　ethnic　look　and　enjoyed　young　men's　passions。　In　the　country　where　he　resided；　he　tended　to　seek　out　panions　of　Latin　descent；　there　were　many　where　he　was　from；　and　luckily　they　seemed　attracted　to　him　as　well。　Quite　honestly；　he　wished　he　was　home　right　now；　cruising　the　hilly　streets　of　his　city　in　a　quest　for　love　or　lust。　But　he　was　not。　He　was　thousands　of　miles　from　home　and　he　had　a　job　to　do。　He　smiled　at　one　of　the　deckhands　as　he　walked　past；　but　the　man　did　not　return　the　greeting。　Slowly；　the　ramp　on　the　front　of　the　ferry　lowered。　
　Along　with　the　few　other　passengers　at　this　late　hour；　he　made　his　way　up　the　slight　rise；　then　into　a　door　marked　Visitor。　Handing　over　his　passport；　he　waited　as　his　entry　into　Macau　was　approved。　Ten　minutes　later；　he　walked　from　the　building　and　hailed　a　cab。　Then　he　flipped　open　a　satellite　telephone　and　checked　his　email。　
　
　BACK　ON　THE　Oregon；　Max　Hanley　was　catching　a　catnap。　His　feet　were　propped　up　on　a　desk　in　the　control　room　and　his　head　slumped　to　one　side　in　his　chair。　One　of　the　operators　touched　his　shoulder　and　he　was　instantly　awake。　
　〃Sir；〃　the　operator　said；　〃I　think　we　have　a　problem。〃　Hanley　rubbed　his　face；　then　rose　and　walked　over　to　the　coffeepot　and　poured　a　cup。　〃Go　ahead；〃　he　said。　
　〃Someone　flagged　just　passed　through　Macau　immigration。〃　。　The　Corporation　maintained　a　large　database　on　their　puters。　Over　the　years；　the　names　of　many　people　had　been　entered。　Whenever　I　any　of　them　cropped　up　on　any　of　the　numerous　systems　the　Corporation　hacked　into；　the　information　was　examined　and　analyzed。　Hanley　took　a　sip　of　coffee　and　then　read　the　sheet　of　paper　the　operator　handed　to　him。　
　〃We　considered　that　possibility；〃　Hanley　said　quietly；　〃and　now　he's　here。〃　
　
　NIXON　WALKED　OVER　　Spenser；　aimed　at　his　head　and　pushed　the　button。　
　Then　he　stared　at　the　image　in　the　digital　camera。　
　〃Can　you　grow　facial　hair？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃It's　sparse；〃　Spenser　admitted。　
　〃What　have　we　got；〃　Cabrillo　asked　Nixon；　〃to　make　him　look　different？〃　
　Nixon　walked　over　to　the　bench　and　rustled　through　a　box　of　disguises。　〃We've　got　hair；　makeup　and　prosthetic　mouthpieces。　How　far　do　you　want　to　go？〃　
　〃It's　the　new　you；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Where　are　you　planning　to　hide？〃　
　Spenser　considered　the　question。　On　the　one　hand；　he　was　not　interested　in　having　anyone　know　his　ultimate　destinationon　the　other　hand；　from　what　he　had　seen　so　far；　these　people　would　probably　find　out　anyway。　
　〃I　was　thinking　South　America；〃　Spenser　said。　
　Cabrillo　nodded。　〃Go　with　a　light　tan；　medium　matching　mustache；　nothing　big；　and　slightly　longer　hair；〃　he　said　to　Nixon；　who　nodded　and　began　removing　items　from　the　box。　
　〃I　know　from　your　file　you　don't　speak　Spanish　or　Portuguese；　so　if　I　were　you　I'd　try　Uruguay　or　Paraguay；　where　your　British　accent　won't　stand　out　as　much。〃　
　Crabtree　walked　over。　〃Why　don't　you　have　Kevin　make　him　a　Canadian？〃　
　Cabrillo　nodded。　〃Here's　the　deal；〃　he　said。　〃You　do　the　switch　for　us　and　we　will　build　you　a　new　identity。　You　bee　a　Canadian　who　immigrated　to　Paraguay　a　few　years　ago　and　hold　citizenship。　We'll　give　you　a　flat　one　million