cc.goldenbuddha-第32部分

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lated　events　begin　to　reveal　themselves。　If　there　were　someone　high　above　the　party；　what　he　would　see　right　now　would　be　two　distinctly　different　groups。　The　people　from　the　Corporation　began　to　move　like　pieces　on　a　chessboard；　while　those　who　were　part　of　the　party　seemed　to　act　as　a　single　unit。　
　Sung　Rhee　tried　to　focus　his　eyes；　but　the　view　of　the　inside　of　the　tent　was　ebbing　and　flowing。　Specks　of　blue　dotted　the　far　edges　of　his　peripheral　vision。　Then　he　saw　what　he　thought　was　a　yellow…and…red　weasel　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　but　when　he　moved　his　head；　it　was　gone。　At　just　that　instant；　his　cellular　telephone　rang。　
　〃Rhee。〃　
　〃I　can　barely　hear　you；　sir；〃　one　of　his　detectives　said。　Rhee　stared　at　the　tiny　telephone。　He　was　holding　it　a　foot　from　his　mouth；　as　if　unable　to　gauge　distances。　He　tried　to　move　it　to　the　proper　place；　but　he　slammed　it　into　his　temple。　
　〃How's　that？〃　he　asked。　
　〃Better。　Sir；　we　just　received　a　call　from　the　head　abbot　at　the　A…Ma　Temple。　They　report　that　a　pair　of　men　has　just　stolen　a　large　golden　Buddha　they　had　on　display。〃　
　Rhee　thought　for　a　second。　The　Buddha　was　right　outside　the　tent。　〃That's　all　right；〃　Rhee　said；　〃I　saw　our　friend　earlier。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　sir？〃　
　Rhee　stared　at　the　floral　arrangement　in　the　center　of　the　table。　The　head　of　a　tiny　horse　appeared　and　spoke　in　a　British　accent。　Take　me　for　a　ride；　it　said。　
　〃Listen；　you；〃　Rhee　said；　〃my　horse　is　here。〃　
　〃Sir；〃　the　detective　said；　〃I'm　ing　over　there　right　away。〃　Rhee　dropped　the　telephone　and　turned　to　the　person　next　to　him。　
　〃See　my　horse？〃　
　The　person　was　a　troll　and　he　was　speaking　in　a　language　Rhee　could　not　understand。　
　
　OVER　THE　ROAR　of　the　motorcycle　engine；　a　siren　came　from　just　over　the　hill。　The　two　men　shut　off　the　engines　and　listened。　The　sound　neither　grew　louder　nor　diminished。　
　〃Good；〃　the　first　man　said；　〃they're　stuck　in　traffic；　just　like　we　planned。〃　
　〃Let's　do　it；〃　the　second　man　said。　
　They　started　their　engines　and　roared　away。　
　
　DETECTIVE　LING　PO　was　screaming　into　the　radio　as　he　raced　toward　the　mansion。　He　was　a　half　mile　away　when　the　traffic　ground　to　a　stop。　
　〃Can　anyone　reach　the　temple？〃　he　shouted。　
　The　units　reported　in　one　at　a　time。　Only　the　car　along　the　Inner　Port　Road　was　making　any　progress。　　〃We　have　a　pair　of　men　on　motorcycles　that　have　stolen　a　large　gold　Buddha；〃　he　said　as　he　beeped　his　horn。　〃Has　anyone　seen　them　pass？〃　
　The　reports　were　negative。　
　Po　steered　his　squad　car　onto　the　sidewalk　and；　blaring　his　horn；　continued　on。　
　
　THE　BAND　WAS　performing　the　Thin　Lizzie　song　〃The　Boys　Are　Back　in　Town。〃　
　On　the　Oregon；　Hanley　was　watching　the　monitors　in　alarm。　They　had　expected　some　unusual　behavior　once　the　potion　was　administered；　but　what　he　was　seeing　was　chaos。　A　crowd　of　guests　in　tuxedos　and　evening　dresses　had　suddenly　filled　the　dance　floor；　and　several　of　the　ladies　were　shedding　their　clothes。　
　Stanley　Ho　was　walking　through　the　tent　in　a　daze。　He　was　feeling　strange；　but　he　had　no　idea　why。　Spotting　Candace　across　the　tent；　he　began　to　make　his　way　toward　her。　
　〃Okay；　everyone；　we　go　in　sixty　seconds；〃　Hanley　ordered。　
　〃I　hear　sirens；〃　King　reported；　〃and　they　are　growing　closer。〃　
　〃Monica；〃　Hanley　said；　〃are　you　hearing？〃　
　Crabtree　turned　to　where　she　knew　the　camera　was　in　the　keyboard　and　winked。　
　〃Now；〃　Hanley　said。　
　Crabtree　bit　down　on　a　packet　she　had　taken　from　her　purse　and　slipped　it　inside　her　mouth。　Ho　was　a　few　feet　away　and　she　stumbled　toward　him　with　foam　seeping　from　the　edges　of　her　mouth。　She　grabbed　him　around　his　neck　and　held　tight。　
　〃Go　ahead；　Murph；〃　Hanley　ordered。　
　Murphy　slipped　his　hand　inside　his　pocket　and　hit　the　trigger。　Almost　instantly　there　was　a　series　of　explosions　like　fireworks。　The　outside　lights　and　those　inside　the　tent　went　dark。　
　〃We're　a　go　for　switch；〃　Hanley　said。　
　At　exactly　that　instant；　Barrett　and　Pryor　slid　one　of　the　speaker　boxes　off　the　cart　and　opened　a　back　door。　A　gold…painted　plaster　Buddha　replica　slipped　onto　the　ground。　At　the　same　time；　Reinholt　flipped　the　edge　of　the　tent　over　the　Buddha　on　display。　Several　potted　plants　placed　in　the　Y　inside　the　tent　shielded　the　guards　from　anyone　who　might　be　watching。　
　〃All　dark　on　the　western　front；〃　King　said　as　he　scanned　the　ground　through　the　pale　green　light　of　a　night　scope。　〃Anyone　moving？〃　Hanley　asked。　King　swept　across　the　grounds；　then　down　the　hillside。　〃There's　an　unmarked　police　car　with　a　portable　light　on　the　roof　proceeding　along　Avenida　Republica。　He's　three　hundred　and　fifty　yards　distant。〃　
　〃Can　you　hit　at　that　distance？〃　Hanley　asked。　〃Oh　ye　of　little　faith；〃　King　said。　〃It's　a　car；　not　a　bug。　I　doubt　I　can　hit　the　driver's　nose；　but　you　never　know。〃
　〃Just　a　tire；　Larry；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Hold　on；〃　King　said。　
　Supporting　the　rifle　on　a　branch；　he　regulated　his　breathing；　then　waited　until　the　police　car　was　in　his　field　of　fire。　He　was　in　an　almost　Zen　state　of　concentration。　When　the　target　appeared；　it　was　as　if　it　were　in　slow　motion。　King　squeezed　the　trigger；　then　willed　the　bullet　to　run　true。　Inside　the　rifle；　the　firing　pin　hit　the　shell　primer　and　sparked；　the　gunpowder　burned　and　propelled　the　shell　out　of　the　cartridge　and　sent　it　spinning　through　the　rifling　inside　the　barrel。　Leaving　the　end　of　the　barrel　and　passing　through　the　noise　suppressor；　the　slug　started　down　the　hill　in　a　straight　line　toward　the　target。　
　〃Shit；〃　Po　said　as　his　front　tire　shredded。　He　slowed　down　and　climbed　out　of　the　squad　car；　leaving　the　door　open。　Looking　back　onto　the　sidewalk；　he　tried　to　see　what　he　had　hit。　There　was　nothing　visible；　but　that　didn't　mean　anything。　He　stared　up　the　hill　to　his　intended　destination；　then　decided　the　hill　was　too　steep　to　climb。　Po　slid　back　into　the　driver's　seat　and　reached　for　the　radio。　
　〃Target　has　stopped　and　he's　calling　for　help；〃　King　said。　
　〃Good　job；〃　Hanley　said。　
　Hanley　was　watching　the　monitors；　but　without　lights　there　was　little　to　see。　He　stared　at　his　watch；　then　glanced　at　the　schedule　of　actions。　Thirty　seconds　passed。　King　continued　to　scan　the　grounds。　A　few　of　the　kitchen　workers　had　popped　out　from　inside　and　were　clustered　around　the　rear　door。　He　swiveled　his　scope　to　the　front　of　the　house　and　noticed　that　the　front　gate　to　the　driveway　had　opened　automatically　when　the　power　was　cut。　Ten　seconds。　
　〃Have　you　sighted　the　charge　on　the　fireworks　display？〃　Hanley　asked。　
　〃Got　it；〃　King　said。　
　〃Protect　your　eyes　after　the　shot；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃I'll　switch　back　to　regular　sights；〃　King　agreed。　
　〃We　go　in　five；　four；　three；　two；　one。〃　
　King　squeezed　the　trigger　and　hit　the　explosive　packet　Murphy　had　laid　in　place　hours　earlier。　The　fireworks　exploded　with　a　roar。　Roman　candles　streaked　skyward　and　the　large　mortarlike　devices　began　to　spew　forth　in　belches。　There　was　shrieking　and　thumping　sounds　as　the　fireworks　began　to　discharge。　King　rubbed　his　eyes　and　stared　at　the　now…lit…up　scene。　
　Three　flickers　from　a　flashlight　at　the　front　of　the　tent　caught　his　attention。　
　〃I　have　a　signal　the　switch　has　been　made；〃　King　noted。　
　〃Signal　the　helicopter；〃　Hanley　said　to　one　of　the　operators。　
　〃She's　having　a　seizure；〃　Ho　shouted。　
　Monica　Crabtree　hung　on　to　Ho's　neck　and　rolled　her　eyes　back　in　her　head。　A　doctor　Ho　knew　was　dancing　on　one　of　the　tables　nearby；　but　he　didn't　respond　to　Ho's　request　to　e　over。　At　just　that　instant；　Barrett　walked　over。　
　〃This　woman　is　sick；〃　Ho　said。　
　The　guard　grabbed　Crabtree　and　slid　her　to　the　ground。　The　inside　of　the　tent　was　chaos；　the　music　was　blaring；　but　in　the　dim　light　no　one　noticed　the　band　had　left　the　stage。　Ho's　head　was　spinning　and　he　vvas　having　trouble　concentrating。　The　guard　placed　his　lips　over　Crab…tree's。　
　〃No　tongue；　please；〃　Crabtree　whispered。　
　Faking　CPR；　the　guard　turned　to　Ho。　〃This　woman　is　dying。〃　
　〃Call　for　help；〃　Ho　said。　
　The　guard　reached　for　the　radio　on　his　belt　and　called　for　an　ambulance。　
　〃Juan；〃　Hanley　said；　〃the　bird　is　inbound。〃　
　〃Time　to　pull　out；〃　Cabrillo　said　to　his　team。　〃Round　everyone　up。〃　Reinholt　and　Pry