cc.goldenbuddha-第31部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


s　and　take　them　to　the　rear？〃　
　〃Immediately；〃　the　blond…haired　man　said；　leaping　to　his　feet。　Continuing　forward；　the　billionaire　knocked　on　the　cockpit　door。　The　copilot　opened　the　door。　〃Sir？〃　he　asked。　〃How　far　out　are　we？〃　
　〃Less　than　half　an　hour；〃　the　copilot　said；　glancing　at　his　navigational　chart。　
　〃Have　you　arranged　for　refueling？〃　
　〃All　taken　care　of；　sir；〃　the　pilot　said；　turning　his　head　toward　the　cockpit　door。　　
　Passing　through　the　galley；　the　billionaire　could　smell　the　coffee　'　brewing。　〃About　a　half　hour　and　we'll　be　on　the　ground；〃　he　said　as　he　passed。　
　The　blond…haired　man　waited　until　he　was　gone；　then　removed　a　digital　pager　from　his　belt　and　pushed　a　few　buttons。　Then　he　winked　at　the　other　flight　attendant　and　resumed　his　preparations。　
　
　THE　TRIO　OF　Redman　Security　officers　glanced　up　as　the　band　was　finishing　the　last　song　in　the　first　set。　Then　Sam　Pryor　turned　toward　a　camera　and　touched　his　nose。　
　Back　on　the　Oregon；　Max　Hanley　reached　for　a　microphone。　
　〃Julia；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　start　now。〃　
　Huxley　slipped　from　behind　the　speaker　wall　and　motioned　to　Hal…pert。　Cabrillo；　Lincoln　and　Murphy　began　to　remove　a　few　speakers　from　the　bank　behind　them。　Ho　walked　over。　
　〃You　have　two　more　sets；〃　he　said。　
　〃We　have　some　electrical　glitches；〃　Cabrillo　told　him。　〃Three　of　the　tower　speakers　aren't　working。　Don't　worrythey　haven't　worked　yet　and　we　sound　all　right。〃　
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　take　them　back　to　the　truck？〃　Huxley　asked。　
　〃That's　part　of　your　job；〃　Halpert　said。　
　Ho　stared　at　Huxley。　The　thought　of　his　suicide　blonde　being　sweaty　disturbed　him。　
　〃I'll　have　one　of　the　guards　give　you　a　hand；〃　Ho　said。　〃Miss　Candace　asked　earlier　if　she　might　have　a　tour　of　my　home。〃　
　〃Okay；　Mr。　Ho；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃We'll　move　them　around　to　the　front　of　the　tent；　then　have　one　of　the　guards　help　us　put　them　in　the　van。〃　
　〃Whatever；〃　Ho　said。　〃Now；　Candymay　I　show　you　my　home？〃
　
　ROSS　MOTIONED　TO　the　caterer。　〃Before　the　second　set；　Mr。　Ho　wants　to　make　a　special　toast。〃　
　〃The　passion　fruit　punch？〃　the　caterer　said。　
　〃Correct；〃　Ross　said。　
　〃Just　before　the　main　meal　is　served？〃　
　〃That's　the　plan。〃　
　〃I'll　go　ahead　and　ice　down　the　punch　then；〃　the　caterer　said。　
　〃You　look　busy　here；〃　Ross　said；　〃I'll　take　care　of　the　punch。〃　
　When　the　chef　had　his　back　turned；　Ross　removed　the　flask　of　liquid　and　broke　the　seal。　The　viscous　fluid　was　a　strange　blue　green　with　flecks　of　what　looked　like　powdered　silver。　She　swirled　it　around　then　poured　it　into　the　vat。　Taking　a　wooden　spoon；　she　stirred　the　mixture　and　added　a　block　of　ice。　
　The　caterer　was　on　the　far　end　of　the　kitchen；　talking　to　the　chef。　Ross　called　across　the　room。　
　〃Have　the　punch　transferred　to　the　crystal　pitchers　and　taken　into　the　tent；〃　she　said。　〃Then　order　the　waiters　to　begin　serving。〃　
　The　caterer　waved　a　hand　in　reply　and　Ross　walked　back　outside。　
　Huxley　walked　over　to　Ho　and　rubbed　her　ample　assets　against　his　side。　
　〃I'll　quickly　go　make　the　toast；〃　he　said　with　a　growing　need。　
　〃I　need　to　make　an　appearance；　too；〃　Huxley　said；　〃then　we'll　have　plenty　of　time。〃　
　Ho　motioned　to　the　door　and　the　pair　started　out　of　the　office。　
　　
　〃SIGNAL　FROM　ROSS；〃　Larry　King　said。　
　On　board　the　Oregon；　Hanley　was　watching　the　monitors。　〃We　saw　it　too；　Larry。〃　
　Hanley　zoomed　in　on　the　Buddha；　Reinholt；　Pryor　and　Barrett　were　standing　in　a　delta　formation　around　the　object；　while　to　the　left　three　large　speaker　stacks　sat　on　carts　awaiting　removal。　
　〃As　soon　as　Ho　makes　his　toast　and　the　band　resumes；　we　can　begin　the　extraction；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Did　anyone　see　where　Ho　went？〃　
　〃He　headed　inside　with　Huxley；〃　King　noted。　〃I've　got　him　on　audio　in　the　upper　office；〃　one　of　the　operators　on　the　Oregon　said。　
　〃Put　him　on　speaker；〃　Hanley　ordered。　
　〃It's　a　Manet；〃　Ho　was　saying。　
　〃I　always　get　Monet　and　Manet　confused；〃　Huxley　said。　〃But　then；　art　is　not　my　strong　suit。〃　
　〃What　exactly　is　your　strong　suit？〃　Ho　asked。　
　Just　then；　Hanley　keyed　the　tiny　earpiece　in　Huxley's　ear。　〃Julia；〃　he　whispered；　〃you　need　to　have　Ho　get　back　to　the　tent　and　make　the　toast　now。〃　
　〃It's　something　I　need　to　show　you；　not　tell　you；〃　Candace　purred；　〃but　it　takes　some　time。　Once　the　band　starts　the　next　set　and　my　boyfriend　is　busy；　I'd　feel　a　lot　safer。〃　
　〃Safer　is　good；〃　Ho　said。　
　
　INSIDE　THE　TENT；　the　waiters　were　clearing　away　the　appetizers。　Then　they　began　to　pour　the　punch　from　crystal　pitchers　into　small　glass　cups　at　each　setting。　Most　of　the　guests　had　returned　to　their　seats　by　the　time　Ho　walked　through　the　center　of　the　tent　toward　the　stage。　Snagging　a　cup　of　punch　from　a　passing　waiter；　he　continued　toward　the　stage。　
　Mark　Murphy　was　setting　the　last　of　the　charges　around　the　perimeter　of　the　grounds　and　tent。　He　pocketed　a　small　remote　trigger；　then　walked　around　to　the　rear　of　the　stage。　Juan　Cabrillo　was　standing　off　to　one　side　of　the　stage；　staring　at　the　crowd。　Crabtree　had　her　large　purse　on　the　floor　next　to　her　and　she　moved　her　foot　to　make　sure　it　was　at　her　feet。　Kasim；　Lincoln　and　Halpert　stood　off　to　one　side；　awaiting　their　cues。　At　the　front　of　the　tent；　the　trio　from　Redman　Security　paced　nervously。　
　Ho　walked　over　to　Cabrillo。　〃Is　the　P。A。　system　on？〃　
　〃Just　a　second；〃　Cabrillo　said　as　he　flicked　a　switch。　〃Okay；　sir。〃　
　Ho　tapped　the　microphone　to　see　that　it　was　working。　
　
　THE　MONK　WALKED　out　from　the　dining　room；　then　stopped　in　his　tracks。　There　was　a　banner　with　Arabic　writing　stretched　across　the　alcove　where　the　Golden　Buddha　had　been　placedbut　the　massive　golden　icon　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　He　raced　back　to　the　dining　room　to　alert　the　others。　A　dozen　monks　in　yellow　robes　entered　the　main　temple。　After　appraising　the　situation；　the　head　of　the　monks　walked　into　the　office　and　lifted　up　the　telephone。　
　〃Why　don't　they　make　dollies　with　brakes？〃　one　of　the　motorcyclists　said　as　he　dug　in　his　heels　to　slow　the　descent　down　the　hill　outside　the　temple。　
　The　other　man　was　in　front　of　the　dolly；　trying　to　slow　Buddha　down；　but　the　loose　soil　was　not　allowing　him　much　purchase　and　he　was　sliding　downhill　fast。　
　〃Drop　it　down　and　dig　in　the　rear；〃　he　whispered。　With　more　of　a　slide　than　a　controlled　descent；　they　reached　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　Once　they　had　regained　control　of　the　dolly；　they　quickly　wheeled　it　over　to　the　motorcycle　sidecar　and　cut　the　straps。　The　man　at　the　front　lowered　the　door　on　the　sidecar。　〃Let's　get　him　in；〃　he　said。　At　just　that　instant；　a　gong　on　the　grounds　of　the　temple　started　sounding。　
　〃Damn；〃　the　first　man　said　as　the　two　wrestled　the　chunk　of　metal　into　the　sidecar；　〃I　figured　we'd　at　least　be　out　of　the　parking　lot　before　someone　caught　on。〃　
　〃I'll　strap　him　down；〃　the　second　man　said。　〃You　start　your　engine。〃　
　The　man　climbed　aboard　the　motorcycle　and　pushed　the　starter。　The　engine　roared　to　life。　The　second　man　finished　with　securing　the　Buddha　and　walked　over　to　his　motorcycle　and　started　the　engine。　Looking　up　the　hill；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　several　monks　starting　down；　and　he　beeped　his　horn。　The　first　man　turned　his　head　and；　upon　seeing　the　monks　stumbling　down　the　hill；　reached　for　the　clutch；　then　toed　the　motorcycle　into　gear。　He　twisted　the　throttle　and　began　driving　out　of　the　parking　lot。　
　
　〃AGAIN；〃　HO　SAID；　〃thank　you　all　for　ing。　Before　I　make　a｜　。toast；　let's　give　a　round　of　applause　to　the　Minutemen。〃　
　The　crowd　clapped。　
　〃Now；〃　Ho　said；　〃if　you　will　all　raise　your　glasses。〃　
　He　paused。　
　〃To　peace　and　prosperity　on　this　holy　day；〃　he　said。　〃Let　us　all　remember　the　sacrifices　the　few　have　made　so　that　the　many　may　find　peace。〃　
　Ho　tipped　the　glass　cup　to　his　lips　and　took　a　drink。　The　crowd　followed　suit。　
　〃The　dinner　will　be　served　now；〃　Ho　said；　〃and　in　a　second　the　band　will　begin　again。〃　
　
　THE　POTION　IS　in；〃　Hanley　said　to　everyone　listening；　〃we　move　in　five　minutes。〃　
　Sometimes；　if　you　know　where　to　look；　a　person　can　realize　that　life　is　a　well…orchestrated　ballet。　If　one　is　in　tune；　seemingly　unrelated　events　begin　to　reveal　themselves。　If　there　were　someone　high　above　the　party；　what　he　would　s