cc.goldenbuddha-第52节

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　The　copilot　replaced　his　headset　over　his　ears；　then　relayed　the　information　to　the　pilot；　who　made　an　okay　sign　with　his　fingers。　The　copilot　smiled　at　Gunderson；　nodded　yes；　then　motioned　for　him　to　sit　back　in　his　seat。　
　Twenty　minutes　later；　the　coast　of　southern　Vietnam　came　into　view。　As　they　passed　over　shallow　water；　he　caught　sight　of　a　wrecked　ship　below　the　surface　of　the　water。　In　the　bushes　nearby　was　what　looked　like　the　remains　of　a　bombed…out　tank　from　the　war　some　thirty　years　before。　
　
　INSIDE　THE　OREGON'S　Magic　Shop；　Kevin　Nixon　was　loosening　the　top　off　a　long　wooden　crate　with　a　pry　bar。　The　crate　was　stamped　U。S。　Air　Force；　Special　Operations。　The　second　line　read：　（1）　ea。　Fulton　Aerial　Recovery　System；　checked　02…11…90；　and　then　the　initials　of　the　airman　who　had　rendered　the　verdict　that　the　system　was　operational。　Setting　the　top　aside；　Nixon　peered　inside。　Then　he　began　to　remove　the　contents。　
　First　was　a　harness　made　out　of　nylon　webbing　similar　to　that　on　a　parachute。　On　the　front　of　the　harness　was　a　swivel　hook。　Next　was　a　length　of　high…tension　strength　line。　Last；　a　deflated　balloon　and　the　fittings　to　hook　the　system　together。　Nixon　checked　each　piece　carefully　as　he　removed　them　from　the　box。　Everything　looked　fine。　
　Just　then；　the　door　to　the　Magic　Shop　opened。　
　〃How's　it　look？〃　Hanley　inquired。　
　〃Good；〃　Nixon　answered。　
　Hanley　pointed　to　a　strange　forged…metal　three…pronged　hook　on　the　ground。　〃What's　that？〃　
　Nixon　nodded　at　the　bottom　of　the　crate's　lid；　where　a　set　of　directions　had　been　stenciled　on　the　surface。　〃That's　the　hook　that　grabs　the　line　at　the　end　of　the　balloon。〃　
　〃Doesn't　it　have　to　be　aboard　the　pickup　plane？〃　
　〃Ideally；〃　Nixon　admitted。　
　〃So？〃　Hanley　asked。　
　Nixon　pointed　across　the　room。　〃Good　thing　we　have　rules　around　here；〃　he　said。　
　〃Always　have　a　backup；〃　Hanley　said；　smiling；　reading　the　sign。　
　〃But　of　course；〃　Nixon　said。　
　〃I'll　notify　the　plane；〃　Hanley　said。　〃We　have　a　few　hours　yet。〃　
　〃Mr。　Hanley；〃　Nixon　said；　〃you　just　tell　me　when。〃　
　
　THE　SINGLE　ENGINE　on　the　Antonov　Colt　droned　with　a　monotonous　sound　as　Gunderson；　Michaels　and　Pilston　headed　out　into　the　South　China　Sea。　The　skies　were　clear；　the　wall　of　the　south…moving　storm　still　hundreds　of　miles　ahead。　Gunderson　just　hoped　that　the　Oregon；　which　was　cruising　at　full　speed；　made　it　out　of　the　leading　edge　of　the　storm　before　he　reached　the　ship。　He　was　a　great　pilot；　but　even　in　clear　skies　what　they　were　about　to　attempt　was　akin　to　trying　to　hit　a　bull's…eye　on　a　dartboard　at　ten　paces　while　blindfolded。　
　Gunderson　had　the　windows　in　the　cockpit　and　the　cargo　area　cracked　open　to　vent　the　gasoline　fumes　as　they　cruised　along。　The　Antonov　normally　carried　312　gallons　of　fuel；　but　since　this　plane　was　used　for　remote　logging　operations；　two　more　tanks　of　300　gallons　each　had　been　fitted　along　the　center　of　the　cargo　bay。　That　was　a　good　thing。　Without　the　additional　fuel　capacity；　there　was　no　way　they　could　make　it　out　to　the　Oregon　and　back　to　Vietnam；　a　distance　far　beyond　that　of　a　helicopter。　The　problem　was；　the　inside　of　the　plane　smelled　like　an　Exxon　station　after　a　big　spill。　Gunderson　stared　at　his　portable　GPS　　receiver。　
　〃How's　it　look；　Tiny？〃　Michaels　asked。　
　〃So　far　so　good；〃　Gunderson　answered；　〃but　this　unit　burns　through　batteries　like　a　kid　with　a　video　game。　Did　they　by　chance　load　any　spare　batteries　on　board？〃　
　Pilston；　who　was　crouched　between　the　pilot's　and　copilot's　seat；　rooted　around　in　a　pair　of　paper　bags　but　came　up　empty。　〃Sorry；　Chuck；〃　she　said；　〃no　luck。〃　
　〃What　did　we　get？〃　he　asked。　
　Pilston　did　a　quick　inventory。　〃Some　MREs；　two　thermoses　of　what　I　assume　is　coffee；　some　Hershey　bars　and　M&M's；　bottled　water；　maps；　and　some　mouthwash。〃　
　〃What　about　towels　and　soap？〃　
　Pilston　dug　around　in　the　bottom　of　one　of　the　bags。　〃Yep。〃
　〃Gannon's　pretty　good　about　that；〃　Gunderson　said；　yawning。　Michaels　stared　at　the　speed　indicator。　〃We　have　five　more　hours　until　we　reach　the　Oregon；〃　she　said。　〃Tracy　and　I　got　some　sleep　last　night。　Why　don't　you　clean　up　a　little　and　try　to　get　some　rest。　We'll　wake　you　when　we　get　close。〃　
　〃Think　you　can　fill　the　copilot's　duties？〃　he　asked　Pilston。
　〃I　received　my　private　pilot's　certificate　last　year；〃　Pilston　told　him。　〃I　don't　have　many　hours；　but　I　think　I'm　qualified　to　watch　the　needles　quiver。〃　
　Gunderson　nodded　wearily。　〃Off　the　controls；〃　he　said。　
　As　soon　as　he　was　sure　Michaels　had　the　plane；　he　stood　up；　slid　out　of　his　seat；　and　slid　past　Pilston；　who　quickly　climbed　into　the　pilot's　station。　The　Antonov　could　be　flown　from　either　the　left　or　right　seat；　so　there　was　no　reason　for　Michaels　to　move　across　the　cockpit。　Once　Pilston　was　situated；　she　turned　around　to　Gunderson。　
　〃There's　a　cot　that　folds　out　of　the　wall；〃　she　said；　〃and　a　toilet　that　basically　dumps　out　the　side　of　the　plane。　You　want　anything　to　eat　first？〃　
　〃No；　ladies；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃Just　wake　me　if　you　need　me。〃　Then　he　walked　back　to　the　cot；　removed　his　shirt　and　crumpled　it　up　as　a　pillow；　stretched　out　and　was　asleep　within　minutes。　The　Antonov　droned　north　for　the　rendezvous。　
　
　OVER　THE　YEARS　of　its　existence　the　Corporation　had　invested　in　a　variety　of　legitimate　businesses。　The　pany　was　either　owner　or　part　owner　of　mining　concerns；　a　coconut　plantation；　a　specialty　firearms　manufacturer；　hotels；　resorts；　a　machine　tool　pany；　even　a　charter　jet　service　with　divisions　in　North　America；　South　America；　Europe　and　Asia。　None　of　the　employees　of　these　concerns　had　any　idea　of　the　source　of　the　parent　pany's　funding　and　true　purpose。　They　only　knew　they　were　highly　paid　and　treated　well　and　never　subject　to　cutbacks　or　layoffs。　For　the　most　part；　the　actual　operations　end　of　the　Corporation　the　specialized　army　and　intelligence　apparatus　that　formed　the　nucleus　of　the　growing　fortuneleft　these　panies　alone　to　operate　on　their　own。　Sometimes；　however；　they　came　in　handy。　
　Right　now　was　just　such　a　time。　
　Max　Hanley　returned　to　the　Oregon's　control　room　and　slid　into　his　chair。　
　〃Pull　up　the　flight　operations　center　of　Pegasus　Air；〃　he　asked　Stone。　
　Stone　punched　mands　into　the　puter；　and　a　few　seconds　later　a　worldwide　map　filled　one　of　the　large　monitors。　〃What's　the　fastest　way　to　fly　the　chairman　to　his　meeting？〃　
　Stone　punched　in　mands　and　the　route　filled　the　screen。　〃It's　a　long　flight；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　assume　you　want　it　nonstop？〃　
　〃Absolutely；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃That　pretty　much　ensures　that　we'll　need　to　use　the　G550；　then。〃　
　〃Where　are　they　now？〃　Hanley　asked。　
　Stone　punched　in　mands　and　flight　records　overlaid　the　map。　
　〃The　Asian　G550　is　in　route　to　Hawaii；　so　that's　out；〃　Stone　noted。　
　〃Paris　on　oneno；　hold　onthe　South　American　G550　just　landed　in　Dubai。　She's　due　to　leave　again　tomorrow。〃　
　〃How　long　for　her　to　reach　Da　Nang？〃　
　〃It's　thirty…six　hundred　miles；　so　roughly　six　and　a　half　hours。〃　
　Hanley　took　a　pad　of　paper　and　a　pencil　and　began　writing　numbers。　〃It'll　be　tight；〃　he　said　finally。　〃We're　bucking　time　zones；　refueling　and　getting　fast　clearances　to　land；　but　it's　doable。〃　
　〃Want　me　to　book　the　jet？〃　Stone　asked。　
　Hanley　handed　him　a　sheet　of　paper。　〃This　is　the　flight　plan。〃　
　〃What　else？〃　
　〃Make　sure　our　man　in　the　Vietnamese　air　force　is　greased　so　we　don't　have　any　problems　getting　in　and　out　of　Da　Nang　for　a　quick　refuel；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃What　else？〃　
　〃Set　up　a　secure　link　to　Karamozov；〃　Hanley　said。　〃I　need　to　confirm。〃　
　〃Anything　else？〃　Stone　said　as　he　made　notes　on　a　pad。　
　〃When　all　that's　done；〃　Hanley　said；　〃call　Truitt　to　relieve　you　and　go　get　some　sleep。〃　
　〃What　about　you；　sir？〃　Stone　asked。　
　〃I'll　catnap　here；〃　Hanley　said；　〃right　where　I　like　to　be。〃　
　
　THE　DALAI　LAMA　was　praying　in　front　of　a　statue　of　Buddha　when　Overholt　walked　into　the　room。　He　stood　quietly　until　he　rose。
　〃I　sensed　you　e　into　the　room；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃and　you　　seem　happy。〃　
　Overholt　asked；　〃Are　you　ready　to　return？〃
　〃Yes；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃very　much　so。〃
　〃Good；〃　Overholt　said；　〃it　will　be　tomorrow。〃
　〃Did　your　people　recover　the　Golden　Buddha？〃
　〃They　did；〃　Overholt　said；　nodding。　〃And　have　they　found　the　partment　yet？〃　
　〃They're　still　working　on　it；　Your　Holiness。〃　
　The　Dalai　Lama　nodded　and　smiled。　〃They'll　figure　it　out。　And　then　they'll　know　what　to　do　with　what　they　find。〃　He　paused。　〃Hard　to　believe；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃that　something　my　people　have　owned　all　along　shall　be　our　salvation。〃　
　〃We're　not　home　free　yet；　Your　Holiness；〃　Overholt　said。　
　The　Dalai　Lama　smiled　and　considered　this　for　a　few　moments。　〃No；　Mr。　Overholt；　we're　notbut　we　will　be。　Greed　is　what　brought　the　Chinese　to　my　country。　And　greed　again　will　set　us　free。〃　
　Overholt　nodded　silently。　
　〃Life　is　a　circle；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃and　someday　you　will　see　that。〃　
　Overholt　smiled　as　the　Dalai　Lama　began　to　walk　toward　the　door。　
　〃Now；〃　he　said　kindly；　〃let　my　people　feed　you。　You　must　be　hungry　from　your　long　journey。〃　
　The　two　men　walked　out　of　the　room　toward　a　destiny　determined　by　an　obscure　ship　manned　by　mercenaries。　
　
　AT　11　A。M。　loca