cc.goldenbuddha-第56节

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　〃And　this　one？〃　
　〃It's　growing　by　the　minute；〃　the　man　admitted。　
　〃I've　got　a　massive　Russian　war　exercise　on　the　border　with　Mongolia；　Tibetan　separatists　in　downtown　Beijing；　and　I'm　not　sure　what's　going　on　in　Macau　province。　This　spring　is　not　ing　up　with　fresh…smelling　flowers。〃　
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　order　troops　to　disperse　the　protesters？〃　the　head　of　state　security　asked。　
　〃Absolutely　not；〃　Jintao　said。　〃Our　world　standing　still　has　not　been　repaired　from　Tiananmen　Square；　and　that　was　in　1989。　We　take　action　against　peaceful　Buddhist　monks；　the　repercussions　will　reverberate　for　decades。〃　
　〃Then　do　nothing？〃　
　〃For　now；〃　Jintao　said；　〃until　we　figure　out　what　is　happening。〃　
　
　〃WHERE　ARE　WE　at　on　this　thing？〃　the　president　of　the　United　States　asked。　
　〃Off　the　record；　sir？〃　the　Director　of　Central　Intelligence　asked。　〃I　did　not　sneak　you　into　the　White　House　through　the　underground　tunnel　so　that　I　could　discuss　it　tonight　on　Larry　King；　Director。　Yes；　pletely　off　the　record。〃　
　〃It's　progressing　perfectly；〃　the　DCI　noted。　〃And　we　are　shielded　behind　an　armor　of　deniability　that　couldn't　be　penetrated　with　an　antitank　round。〃　
　〃How　soon　before　you　need　me　to　do　my　thing？〃　the　president　asked。　
　〃Tomorrow；〃　the　DCI　said；　〃if　all　goes　according　to　plan。〃
　〃Then；〃　the　president　said；　rising；　〃you　make　sure　it　does。〃
　〃Yes；　Mr。　President；〃　the　DCI　said　as　the　president　walked　through　the　door　and　down　the　hall　to　a　state　dinner　that　was　already　in　progress。　
　
　THE　OREGON　WAS　flying　across　the　water。　The　schedule　called　for　the　ship　to　stop　in　Ho　Chi　Minh　City。　Once　there；　the　operatives　that　would　be　needed　in　Tibet　would　be　off…loaded　and　flown　in　a　C…130　northwest　to　Bhutan。　Then　the　Oregon　would　continue　on；　passing　Singapore。　Traversing　the　Strait　of　Malacca；　the　vessel　would　race　north　into　the　Bay　of　Bengal；　arriving　off　Bangladesh　on　Easter　Day。　
　That　was　the　closest　to　Tibet　that　the　Oregon　would　ever　be。　
　No　one　in　the　Corporation　enjoyed　it　when　the　Oregon　and　her　battery　of　electronics　and　firepower　were　far　from　the　operation。　The　ship　was　the　lifeline　to　the　crew；　their　home　away　from　home；　their　anchor　in　the　stormy　sea　of　intrigue　where　they　operated。　
　Ross　and　Kasim　were　doing　their　best　to　smooth　the　difficulty。　
　〃I've　tested　the　satellite　uplink；〃　Kasim　said。　〃The　Oregon　will　have　mand…and…control　capability。　Everyone　will　be　reachable　either　by　radio　or　secure　telephone。〃　
　Ross　glanced　up　from　her　puter　screen。　〃I'm　programming　the　drones。　We　have　two。　That's　less　than　I　would　like；　but　they're　just　so　damn　expensive。〃　
　〃Who　will　fly　them？〃　Kasim　asked。　
　〃They　will　need　to　be　operated　from　within　three　hundred　miles；〃　she　noted。　〃Thimbu　or　inside　Tibet　itself。〃　
　Kasim　nodded。　
　She　scanned　a　sheet　of　paper　that　listed　crew　qualifications。　〃Four　of　us　are　trained　in　the　operation。　You；　me；　Lincoln　and　Jones。〃　
　〃Lincoln　would　stand　out　in　Tibet　like　a　debutante　at　a　tractor　pull；〃　Kasim　noted。　〃If　he　operates　the　drone；　at　least　he'll　be　hidden　inside　a　tent。　If　I　were　you；　I'd　remend　to　Hanley　he　get　the　job。〃　Ross　nodded　her　head　in　agreement。　〃He's　good；〃　she　said；　〃and　the　drones　are　criticalthey　will　be　our　only　eyes　in　the　sky。　If　Lincoln　can　keep　them　over　station　above　Lhasa　Airport；　the　control　room　here　can　watch　the　action　unfolding。〃　
　〃What　have　the　Chinese　got　in　Tibet　to　shoot　them　down？〃　Kasim　asked。　
　Ross　glanced　at　the　sheet　listing　Chinese　defenses　that　had　been　recently　smuggled　out　of　Tibet　by　the　underground　freedom　movement。　〃Some　old　antiaircraft　guns　and　one　ten…year…old　missile　defense　battery。　Around　Gonggar　Airport　near　Lhasa　there's　not　much；〃　she　said。　〃Looks　like　a　couple　of　cargo　planes；　some　helicopters；　and　rifles　carried　by　the　troops。〃　
　〃I'd　make　a　note　to　Hanley　to　target　the　antiaircraft　guns　for　early　destruction；〃　Kasim　said；　〃then　have　Lincoln　fly　only　one　drone　at　a　time。〃　
　〃That's　what　I　was　thinking；〃　Ross　said。　〃If　he　flies　high；　he　can　scan　the　entire　city；　plus　keep　the　bird　out　of　sight　of　riflemen。〃　
　〃Makes　sense；〃　Kasim　said。　
　〃What　do　you　find　for　radio　and　television　transmitters？〃　
　〃There　is　one　television；〃　Kasim　said；　〃and　a　pair　of　radios。　We　need　quickly　to　gain　control　of　both　so　we　can　keep　the　Tibetan　people　alerted。〃　
　〃What's　the　report　say？〃　Ross　said。　〃Will　they　rally　against　the　Chinese　when　the　time　es？〃　
　〃We　think　so；〃　Kasim　said；　〃and　God　help　the　Chinese　when　they　do。〃　
　〃The　Dungkart〃　Ross　said。　
　〃Tibetan　for　blackbirds　with　red　beaks；〃　Kasim　said。　〃The　fighting　arm　of　the　Tibetan　underground。〃　
　Ross　glanced　at　the　sheet　holding　the　assembled　intelligence。　〃When　it　is　time；　we　will　feed　on　the　carcasses　of　the　oppressors　and　the　beaks　will　be　red　with　blood　and　the　day　will　be　black　with　death。〃　
　〃Brings　a　chill　to　my　spine；〃　Kasim　said。　
　〃And　I　thought；〃　Ross　said；　〃we　had　the　air　conditioning　too　cold。〃　
　
　ONE　FLOOR　BELOW　where　Ross　and　Kasim　were　planning；　Mark　Murphy　was　in　the　armory。　Munitions　and　crates　were　piled　to　one　side；　and　Sam　Pryor　and　Cliff　Hornsby　were　slowly　moving　them　toward　the　elevator　to　be　taken　to　an　upper　storage　area　where　they　would　be　off…loaded　in　Da　Nang。　On　each　crate　to　be　used；　Murphy　attached　a　red…taped　sticker。　Then　the　contents　were　labeled　with　a　felt…tipped　pen。　He　was　singing　a　ditty　while　he　worked。　
　〃I'm　a　gonna　blow　some　stuff　up　tomorrow；〃　he　said。　〃Gonna　blow　me　up　some　stuff。〃　
　Pryor　wiped　his　forehead　with　a　handkerchief　before　bending　down　to　lift　another　crate　to　carry　to　the　elevator。　〃Shoot；　Murph；〃　he　said；　〃you　packing　enough　C…6？〃　
　〃You　can't　have　too　much；〃　Murphy　said；　smiling；　〃at　least　in　my　opinion。　Heck；　it　doesn't　spoil　and　you　never　know　what　might　e　up。〃　
　〃You　got　enough　here　to　blow　up　an　Egyptian　pyramid；〃　Hornsby　said；　walking　into　the　room　after　placing　his　crate　in　the　elevator；　〃and　enough　mines　to　register　shock　waves　on　a　seismograph。〃　
　〃Those　are　for　the　airport；〃　Murphy　said。　〃You　don't　want　the　Chinese　to　be　able　to　land　troops；　do　you？〃　
　〃Land？〃　Pryor　said。　〃You　use　all　these；　there　won't　be　an　airport。〃　
　〃I　have　other　plans　for　some　of　them；〃　Murphy　said。　
　〃I've　got　the　feeling　you're　looking　forward　to　this；〃　Hornsby　said。　
　Murphy　started　singing　again　as　he　walked　over　to　crates　of　Stinger　missiles　and　began　to　attach　the　red　tags。　Letting　loose　a　long　whistle；　he　finished　with　the　sound　of　a　blast。　
　Hornsby　and　Pryor　carried　crates　out　the　door　and　headed　for　the　elevator。　
　〃I'd　sure　hate　to　have　him　mad　at　me；〃　Pryor　said。　
　
　THE　ANTONOV　WAS　less　than　a　hundred　miles　from　Da　Nang；　heading　due　west。　At　its　current　speed；　the　plane　would　touch　down　in　about　forty　minutes；　or　just　around　4：30　p。m。　local　time。　The　biplane；　although　slow；　had　performed　flawlessly。　Gunderson　balanced　the　yoke　with　his　knees　and　reached　into　the　air　and　stretched。　〃This　baby's　a　peach；〃　he　said　to　Cabrillo。　
　〃After　this　mission　is　pleted；　you　can　check　into　buying　one　for　the　pany；　if　you　think　we'll　use　it　enough；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Take　the　wings　off　and　we　could　probably　fit　it　into　a　forty…foot　shipping　container；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃If　we　had　Murphy　mount　a　fire　cannon　out　the　door；　we'd　have　a　hell　of　a　gunship。〃　
　For　the　last　hour　Cabrillo　had　been　checking　arrangements　with　the　Oregon　over　his　secure　telephone。　The　last　call　from　Hanley　had　placed　the　Gulfstream　G550　on　final　approach　to　Da　Nang　airfield。　Cabrillo　was　nodding　at　Gunderson's　ment　when　his　telephone　buzzed　again。　
　〃The　Gulfstream's　on　the　ground　and　refueled；〃　Hanley　told　him。　〃The　pilot　is　setting　the　course　now。　I　contacted　General　Siphondon　in　Laos　and　received　permission　for　you　to　cross　through　their　airspace。〃　
　〃How　is　the　general？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃His　usual　self；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Dropping　hints　about　a　classic　car　he'd　like。〃　
　〃At　least　he's　upfront　about　his　wants；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃And　an　old…car　fetish　I　can　understand。　What　is　it　he's　after？〃　
　〃Hemi　Roadrunner　convertible；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Apparently　some　Air　America　pilot　had　one　shipped　over　to　use　during　the　war。　The　general　was　only　a　kid　then；　but　it　stuck　in　his　mind。〃　
　〃Any　around？〃　
　〃I've　got　Keith　Lowden　in　Colorado　checking　out　the　market；〃　Hanley　said。　〃He'll　get　back　to　us　when　he　knows　what's　available。〃　
　〃Excellent；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Now　what　about　Thailand　and　Myan…mar？〃　
　〃All　cleared；〃　Hanley　said；　〃so　it'll　be　a　straight　shot　to　India。〃　
　〃C…130？〃　
　〃She's　due　to　leave　Bhutan　and　touch　down　in　Da　Nang　just　after　eight　p。m。〃　
　〃Do　you　have　the　team　ready？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃They'll　be　ready　by　the　time　the　Oregon　reaches　port；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃This　is　a　tight　timetable；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃and　we　only　have　one　shot　at　this。〃　
　〃No　do…overs；〃　Hanley　said　quietly。　
　〃No　do…overs；〃　Cabrillo　agreed。　
　
　IN　NORTHERN　INDIA　at　Little　Lhasa；　the　oracle　was　deep　in　a　trance。　The　Dalai　Lama　sat　to　one　side　as　the　man　spun　and　danced。　From　time　to　time　the　oracle　would　race　over　to　a　sheet　of　rice　paper　and　scribble　notes　furiously；　then　return　to　his　ritualistic　motions。　A　strange　animal…like　sound　seeped　from　his　vocal　cords　and　drops　of　sweat　flew　through　t