cc.goldenbuddha-第12部分

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　〃As　a　crow　flies；　it's　over　ten　thousand　miles　from　Puerto　Rico　to　this　location；〃　he　noted。　〃By　sea；　it's　a　lot　farther。〃　
　〃We're　going　to　run　up　the　costs　just　getting　there；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Do　we　have　any　other　jobs　lined　up　in　that　part　of　the　world　after　we　finish　with　this？〃　
　〃Nothing　yet；〃　Halpert　admitted；　〃but　I'm　working　on　it。　I　did；　however；　require　the　lawyer　to　include　a　bonus　if　we　deliver　the　object　by　a　certain　date。〃　
　〃How　much　and　when？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃The　bonus　is　another　million；〃　Halpert　said。　〃The　date　is　March　thirty…first。〃　
　〃Why　March　thirty…first？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Because　that's　when　they　plan　to　have　the　leader　return　to　his　people。〃　
　〃Ah。　Good。　All　right；　so　we　have　a　total　of　seven　days；　three　of　which　will　be　spent　traveling。　That　gives　us　four　days　to　break　into　a　secure　building；　steal　a　gold　artifact　that　weighs　six　hundred　pounds；　then　transport　it　nearly　twenty…five　hundred　miles　to　a　mountain　country　that　most　people　have　only　heard　about　in　school。〃　
　Halpert　nodded。　
　〃Sounds　like　fun；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　
　THE　PORT　OF　Aomen　was　bustling。　Sampans　and　trading　barges　shared　the　sea…lanes　with　modern　cargo　ships　and　a　few　high…performance　pleasure　crafts。　The　wind　was　blowing　from　land　to　sea；　and　the　smell　of　wood　cooking　fires　on　mainland　China　mixed　with　the　scent　of　spices　being　off…loaded。　Twelve　miles　out　in　the　South　China　Sea；　and　only　minutes　from　landing；　Gunderson　received　clearance　for　final　approach。　
　Spenser　stared　at　the　Golden　Buddha　strapped　down　on　the　floor　across　the　aisle。　
　
　CHUCK　〃TINY〃　GUNDERSON　was　dining　on　sausage　and　slabs　of　cheddar　cheese　as　he　steered　the　Citation　X　and　watched　the　mountains　that　lay　below。　Gunderson　carried　nearly　280　pounds　on　his　six…feet…four　frame　and　had　played　tackle　at　the　University　of　Wisconsin　before　graduating　and　getting　recruited　by　the　Defense　Intelligence　Agency。　Gunderson's　experience　with　the　DIA　had　enhanced　his　love　of　flying；　which　he'd　transferred　into　his　job　later　in　the　private　sector。　Right　now；　however；　Gunderson　was　wishing　he　could　have　a　bottle　of　beer　with　his　lunch。　Instead；　he　finished　a　warm　bottle　of　Blenheim's　ginger　ale　to　wash　it　all　down。　Checking　the　gauges　every　few　minutes；　he　found　them　all　in　the　green。　
　〃Mr。　Citation　is　happy；〃　he　said　as　he　patted　the　automatic　control　switch　and　checked　his　course。　
　Spenser　made　his　way　forward　to　the　cockpit；　knocked　on　the　door　and　opened　it。　〃Has　your　pany　made　arrangements　with　the　armored　car　to　meet　us　at　the　airport　in　Macau？〃　
　〃Don't　worry；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃They've　taken　care　of　everything。〃
　
　AT　THE　SAME　instant；　Juan　Cabrillo　was　enjoying　an　espresso　after　a　meal　of　chateaubriand；　mixed　vegetables；　a　cheese　plate　and　baked　Alaska　for　dessert。　He　held　a　napkin　to　his　mouth　as　he　talked　from　the　head　table　in　the　ship's　dining　salon。　
　〃We　have　a　man　on　the　ground　in　Macau；〃　he　said。　〃He'll　arrange　transportation　once　we　have　acquired　the　Buddha。〃　
　〃What's　his　plan？〃　Hanley　asked。　
　〃He's　not　sure　yet；〃　Cabrillo　admitted；　〃but　he　always　es　up　with　something。〃　
　Seng　was　next　to　speak。　
　〃I've　retrieved　detailed　maps　of　the　port；　streets　and　entire　city；〃　Seng　said。　〃Both　the　port　and　the　airport　are　less　than　a　mile　from　where　we　believe　the　Golden　Buddha　will　be　taken。〃　
　〃That's　a　good　twist　of　luck；〃　Linda　Ross　said。　
　〃The　entire　country's　only　seven　square　miles；〃　Seng　said。　
　〃Are　we　planning　to　anchor　offshore？〃　Mark　Murphy　asked。　Cabrillo　simply　nodded。　
　〃Then　I　need　GPS　numbers　for　the　entire　country；〃　Murphy　noted；　〃just　in　case。〃　
　Another　hour　would　pass　as　the　corporate　officers　hashed　out　de　tails。　
　〃I'll　；〃　THE　MAN　said　quietly；　〃from。〃　
　The　man　who　would　benefit　the　most　from　the　return　of　the　Golden　Buddha　had　no　idea　of　the　maelstrom　of　activity　surrounding　him。　He　was　meditating　in　a　tranquil　rock　garden　outside　a　home　in　Beverly　Hills；　California。　Now　nearing　seventy　years　old；　he　seemed　not　to　age　as　did　ordinary　men。　Instead；　the　passage　of　time　had　simply　molded　him　into　a　more　plete　human　being。　
　In　1959；　the　Chinese　forced　him　to　flee　his　own　country　for　India。　In　1989；　he'd　received　the　Nobel　Peace　Prize　for　his　continued　work　toward　the　nonviolent　freeing　of　his　homeland。　In　a　world　where　a　hundred…year…old　house　was　considered　historic；　this　man　was　believed　to　be　the　fourteenth　incarnation　of　an　ancient　spiritual　leader。　
　At　this　instant；　the　Dalai　Lama　was　traveling　on　the　winds　of　his　mind　back　to　home。　
　
　WINSTON　SPENSER　WAS　tired　and　irritable。　He　had　not　had　any　rest　since　leaving　London；　and　the　dreariness　of　travel　and　his　age　were　catching　up　to　him。　Once　the　Citation　X　had　rolled　to　a　stop　on　the　far　end　of　the　field；　he　waited　while　the　pilot　made　his　way　to　the　door　and　extended　the　stairs。　Then　he　climbed　out。　The　armored　car　was　only　feet　away；　with　the　rear　doors　open。　To　each　side　of　the　vehicle　was　a　guard　in　black　uniform　with　a　bolstered　weapon。　They　looked　about　as　friendly　as　a　lynch　mob。　One　of　the　men　approached。　〃Where's　the　object？〃　he　asked　directly。　
　〃In　a　crate　inside　the　main　cabin；〃　Spenser　said。　
　The　man　motioned　to　his　partner；　who　walked　over。　
　At　just　that　instant；　Gunderson　climbed　down　the　stairs。　
　〃Who　are　you？〃　one　of　the　guards　asked。　
　〃I'm　the　pilot。〃　
　〃Back　in　the　cockpit　until　we're　finished。〃　
　〃Hey；〃　Gunderson　started　to　say　as　the　larger　of　the　two　men　grabbed　his　arm　and　shoved　him　into　the　cockpit　and　slammed　the　door。　Then　the　two　men　eased　the　crate　onto　a　roller　ramp　to　the　ground。　They　pushed　the　crate　on　the　ramp　right　into　the　truck。　Two　men　couldn't　lift　it。　Once　it　was　inside；　the　truck　was　pulled　forward　so　they　could　shut　the　doors。　One　of　the　guards　was　locking　the　doors　when　Gunderson　reappeared。　
　〃You　can　be　sure　this　will　be　reported；〃　he　said　to　the　guard。　
　But　the　guard　just　smiled　slightly　and　walked　forward　to　climb　into　the　passenger　seat。　
　〃A…Ma　Temple？〃　the　driver　said　out　the　window。　
　〃Yes；〃　Spenser　said。　
　The　guard　pointed　to　a　dark　green　Mercedes…Benz　limousine　parked　nearby。　
　〃You're　supposed　to　follow　us　in　that。〃　
　Rolling　up　the　window；　the　driver　placed　the　armored　car　in　gear　and　started　driving。　
　Spenser　climbed　into　the　limousine　and　set　off　in　pursuit。　
　
　THE　ARMORED　CAR　and　the　limousine　carrying　Spenser　crossed　the　Macau…Taipa　Bridge；　went　around　the　cloverleaf；　passed　the　Hotel　Lisboa　and　headed　up　Infante　D。　Henrique　until　the　name　changed　and　the　road　became　San　Mo　La；　or　the　New　Road。　On　the　west　end　of　the　island；　they　reached　the　intersection　of　Rua　das　Lorchas　and　headed　south　along　the　waterfront。　
　The　waterfront　was　like　a　scene　from　an　adventure　movie。　Junks　and　sampans　floated　on　the　water；　while　the　street　along　the　water　was　crammed　with　shops　displaying　everything　from　plucked　chickens　to　silver　opium　pipes。　Tourists　stood　snapping　pictures　while　buyers　and　sellers　negotiated　prices　in　the　singsong　staccato　of　Cantonese。　
　At　the　fork　with　Rua　do　Almirante　Sergio；　the　caravan　veered　slightly　left；　drove　past　the　bus　terminal；　then　entered　the　grounds　of　the　A…Ma　Temple。　The　temple　was　the　oldest　in　Macau；　dating　from　the　fourteenth　century；　and　it　sat　on　a　densely　wooded　hill　with　a　view　of　the　water。　The　plex　held　a　total　of　five　shrines　linked　by　winding　pebbled　paths。　The　smell　of　incense　was　in　the　air　as　Spenser　climbed　from　the　limousine　and　walked　to　the　armored　car。　At　just　that　instant；　someone　lit　a　coil　firecracker　to　chase　away　the　evil　spirits。　He　instinctively　ducked；　staring　up　at　the　driver's　open　window。　
　〃You　okay；　sir？〃　the　driver　asked。　
　〃Yes；〃　Spenser　said　sheepishly；　rising　again　to　his　full　height。　〃I　need　to　step　inside　for　a　moment。　If　you　will　just　wait　here。〃　
　The　driver　nodded　and　Spenser　walked　up　the　path。　
　Entering　the　A…Ma　Temple；　Spenser　walked　to　a　rear　room　he　knew　the　leader　of　the　monks　used　as　an　office；　and　knocked　on　the　door。　The　door　opened；　and　a　shaven…headed　man　dressed　in　a　yellow　robe　stood　smiling。　
　〃Mr。　Spenser；〃　he　said；　〃you've　e　for　your　crate。〃　
　〃Yes；〃　Spenser　said。　
　The　monk　rang　a　bell　and　two　more　monks　appeared　from　ano