cc.goldenbuddha-第20部分

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　〃Excellent；〃　Linda　Ross　said；　laughing。　〃I　finally　quit　smoking　a　few　years　ago　and　now　the　Corporation　is　going　to　get　me　hooked　again。〃　
　〃By　the　way；〃　Hanley　said；　〃we　think　Iselda　also　practices　an　alternative　lifestyle。〃　
　〃So　I'm　a　chain…smoking　Portuguese　lesbian　party　planner；〃　Ross　said。　〃At　least　it's　not　as　bad　as　when　I　was　a　German　transsexual　dominatrix。〃　
　〃I　remember　that；〃　Murphy　said。　〃You　looked　like　Madeline　Kahn　in　that　Mel　Brooks　film。〃　
　〃I　remember　you　being　kind　of　turned　on；〃　Ross　said。　
　〃We　were　going　to　use　Julia；　but　we　couldn't；　for　the　obvious　reason；〃　Cabrillo　noted。　
　Julia　Huxley；　the　Oregon's　medical　officer；　grinned。　〃I　always　knew　growing　up　that　these　big　boobs　would　pay　off。〃　
　〃You'd　just　better　perfect　your　Pamela　Anderson…Lee…whoever　look；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃I　get　to　play　a　slut？〃　Huxley　said　happily。　
　〃Girlfriend　of　one　of　the　band　members；〃　Cabrillo　noted。　
　〃Same　thing；〃　Huxley　said　eagerly。　〃Can　Max　do　me　some　fake　tattoos？〃　
　〃Be　glad　to；〃　Hanley　said。　〃We　might　even　fake　some　piercings；　if　you　like。〃　
　〃And　now　to　the　band；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃I'm　playing　keyboardsa　lot　of　songs　don't　feature　keyboards；　so　that　will　give　me　time　to　sneak　away。　Murphy's　lead　guitar；　Kasim　is　our　drummer；　and　the　soul　man　Franklin　is　on　bass。〃　
　〃Oh；　yeah；〃　Lincoln　said。　〃The　pulsing　beat　runs　through　me。〃　
　〃And　the　singer？〃　Huxley　asked。　
　〃That　would　be　Mr。　Halpert；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　The　entire　conference　table　turned　and　stared　at　Michael　Halpert。　As　the　head　of　finance　and　accounting；　he　didn't　exactly　seem　to　fit　the　job。　Easily　the　most　conservative　of　the　crew；　the　rumor　was　that　he　ironed　his　handkerchiefs。　The　idea　of　him　posing　as　a　rock　musician　seemed　as　ludicrous　as　casting　Courtney　Love　as　the　Virgin　Mary。　
　〃Unfortunately；　the　lead　singer　of　the　Minutemen　is　tall；　thin　and　slim；　and　the　owner　has　seen　a　videotape　of　the　band　performing。　If　no　one　can　think　of　anyone　else；　Mike's　got　to　be　our　man。〃　
　〃I　can　do　it；〃　Halpert　said　quickly。　
　〃Are　you　sure？〃　Hanley　asked。　〃There　is　only　so　much　the　Magic　Shop　can　do。〃　
　〃For　your　information；　I　was　raised　on　a　mune　in　Colorado；〃　Halpert　said。　〃I've　forgotten　more　about　the　rock　lifestyle　than　most　of　you　ever　knew。〃　
　Cabrillo　was　the　only　one　who　already　knew　thathe　was　the　sole　officer　of　the　Corporation　who　had　access　to　all　employment　files。　
　〃Man；〃　Murphy　said；　〃I　thought　your　baby　clothes　were　a　three…piece　suit。〃　
　〃Now　you　know；〃　Halpert　said。　〃My　family　got　around。　Jerry　Jeff　Walker　was　my　godfather；　and　mander　Cody　taught　me　how　to　ride　a　bicycle。〃　
　〃Man；〃　Hali　Kasim　said；　〃just　when　you　think　you　know　someone。〃　
　〃Let's　get　back　to　the　project；〃　Cabrillo　said。　He　knew　Halpert's　upbringing　made　him　unfortablethe　day　Halpert　had　enlisted　in　the　marines；　his　father　had　quit　speaking　to　him。　Ten　years　had　passed　before　they'd　talked　again；　and　even　now　the　relationship　was　strained。　
　Halpert　waited　for　Cabrillo　to　continue。　
　〃Right　now　we　have　two　of　our　people　posing　as　a　landscaping　crew。　They　will　install　parabolic　microphones　in　the　trees　they're　trimming。　The　microphones　record　the　vibrations　on　the　glass　of　the　house　and　we　should　be　able　to　hear　everything　that　is　happening　inside。〃　
　〃We're　having　trouble　monitoring　the　telephone　lines；　however；〃　Linda　Ross　noted；　〃Normally；　we　can　tap　into　the　mainframe；　but　since　the　Chinese　took　over　the　telephone　system；　they　moved　the　major　systems　across　the　water　into　Hong　Kong。　We'll　try　and　install　something　at　the　junction　box　leading　into　the　house；　but　we're　not　sure　how　well　it　will　receive。〃　
　〃So　there's　a　chance　we　will　only　be　able　to　hear　one　side　of　the　telephone　calls？〃　Hanley　asked。　
　〃Right；〃　Ross　said。　〃Anyone　talking　inside　will　cause　vibrations　on　the　glass　we　can　read。〃　
　〃I'm　not　so　concerned　about　that；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃but　we　do　need　to　be　able　to　cut　the　lines　leading　into　the　housethe　burglar　alarms　work　through　the　telephone　lines。〃　
　〃That　we　can　do；〃　Ross　said；　〃but　people　will　still　be　able　to　use　cell　phones。〃　
　The　hours　passed　as　the　planning　continued。　The　party　was　less　than　thirty　hours　away。　
　
　LIKE　A　WHIRLING　dervish；　the　oracle　began　to　shake　and　parade　about。　
　The　Palace　of　Exile　in　India　was　much　smaller　than　Potala；　but　it　served　the　same　purpose。　Home　to　the　Dalai　Lama　and　his　advisors；　it　featured　a　temple；　sleeping　rooms　and　a　large　stone…floored　meeting　room；　where　the　Dalai　Lama　was　sitting　on　a　throne　chair　now；　watching。　
　The　oracle　was　dressed　in　his　ceremonial　robes；　topped　by　one　of　golden　silk；　its　interwoven　designs　of　yellow；　green；　blue　and　red　encircling　a　mirror　on　the　chest　surrounded　by　amethyst　and　turquoise　stones。　A　harness　held　small　flags　and　banners；　and　the　entire　outfit　weighed　nearly　eighty　pounds。　As　soon　as　the　oracle　had　been　dressed　and　entered　a　trance；　his　assistants　had　placed　a　heavy　metal…and…leather　helmet　upon　his　head　and　cinched　it　tight。　
　Had　the　aging　oracle　not　been　possessed　by　a　spirit　outside　his　own；　the　weight　of　the　helmet　and　robes　would　have　been　too　much　for　him　to　bear。　Instead；　once　the　oracle　reached　his　deep　state；　the　weight　seemed　to　be　lifted　and　he　hopped　about　like　an　astronaut　walking　on　the　surface　of　the　moon。　He　exploded　in　motion。　Arms　akimbo；　he　danced　like　a　praying　mantis　from　one　side　of　the　room　to　the　other。　Strange　guttural　sounds　radiated　from　somewhere　deep　inside　his　body；　while　his　left　hand　flashed　a　heavy　silver…plated　sword　in　a　figure…eight　pattern。　
　Then　he　stopped　in　front　of　the　throne　chair　and　shook　his　entire　body　like　a　dog　after　a　swim。　
　Once　the　oracle　became　motionless；　the　Dalai　Lama　spoke。　
　〃Is　it　time　to　go　home？〃　he　asked。　
　The　oracle　spoke　in　a　voice　unlike　his　own。　〃The　Dalai　Lama　returns；　but　to　a　smaller　Tibet。〃　
　〃The　oracle　explains；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said。　
　A　backflip；　a　flapping　of　arms；　a　stillness　again。　
　〃The　north　holds　the　key；〃　the　oracle　said　loudly。　〃We　give　the　aggressors　the　land　that　once　held　Mongols；　then　they　will　go。〃　
　〃Can　we　trust　the　Westerners？〃　the　Dalai　Lama　asked。　
　The　oracle　bent　his　knees　and　strutted　around　in　a　circle。　When　facing　the　Dalai　Lama　again；　he　spoke。　〃We　will　soon　have　something　they　want；　our　gift　of　this　will　help　strengthen　the　friendship。　Our　power　is　returningour　home　is　near。〃　
　Then　all　at　once；　as　if　a　gust　of　wind　had　blown　the　skeleton　from　his　body；　the　oracle　collapsed　on　the　ground　in　a　heap。　His　assistants　ran　over　and　untied　the　helmet；　then　began　to　remove　the　sweat…soaked　robes。　They　began　to　bathe　the　oracle　with　cool　water；　but　it　was　almost　an　hour　before　he　opened　his　eyes　again。　
　　
　〃ONLINE；〃　THE　CORPORATION　technician　whispered。　
　On　board　the　Oregon；　a　radio　operator　adjusted　his　receiver。　The　sound　of　a　maid　came　through　his　headset。　He　flipped　a　switch　to　a　recorder；　then　keyed　his　microphone。　
　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　〃we're　recording。〃　
　Climbing　down　from　the　tree；　the　technician　gathered　up　the　limbs　he　had　trimmed；　then　spent　the　next　few　hours　working　on　the　bushes。　When　he　had　finished　the　job　and　loaded　the　rented　truck　with　the　debris；　it　was　just　past　lunchtime。　Walking　around　to　the　service　entrance；　he　handed　a　bill　to　the　manager　of　the　mansion。　Then　he　walked　back　to　the　truck　and　drove　away。　
　Back　on　the　Oregon；　the　radio　operator　monitored　the　conversation　in　the　mansion　and　made　notes　on　a　yellow　pad。　Nothing　much　was　happening；　but　that　might　change　at　any　moment。　
　
　BELOWDECKS　IN　THE　Magic　Shop；　the　band　was　rehearsing。　Kevin　Nixon　motioned　for　them　to　stop；　then　adjusted　the　control　panel。　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃from　the　top　again。〃　
　Murphy　started　strumming　his　guitar；　and　the　opening　bars　of　the　Creedence　Clearwater　Revival　song　〃Fortunate　Son〃　filled　the　shop。　The　rest　of　the　band　added　their　parts。　Halpert's　voice　was　surprisingly　good。　After　being　washed　through　the　puter；　it　was　hard　to　tell　his　rendition　from　the　original。　His　moves　were　good　as　wellunlike　those　of　most　of　the　band。　
　Cabrillo　on　the　keyboards　came　off　as　Liberace　on　methamphetamines。　Kasim　moved　like　Buddy　Rich　in　a　neck　brace。　Lincoln　was　slightly　betterhe　kept　his　ey