cc.goldenbuddha-第34部分

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　〃I　have　a　car　flashing　their　lights；〃　the　pilot　said。　
　〃Drive　onto　the　lawn　and　park　near　the　landing　zone。　Then　load　the　helicopter。〃　
　The　lights　flashed　again　and　the　limousine　began　moving。　
　〃He　heard　you；〃　the　pilot　said。　
　Hanley　was　pacing　back　and　forth。　There　were　several　carefully　timed　actions　occurring。　As　long　as　everyone　followed　the　plan；　the　team　would　be　out　in　a　few　more　minutes。　This　was　what　the　Corporation　called　Critical　Time。　The　time　when　it　could　all　go　to　hell　in　seconds。　〃Juan's　waving；〃　one　of　the　operators　said；　pointing　to　a　monitor。　Just　then；　Ho　wandered　over。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　he　asked。　Cabrillo　turned　and　smoothed　his　hair　back。　〃Just　checking　my　hair。〃　
　Ho　nodded。　〃You　said　you　had　a　megaphone　I　could　use？〃　Cabrillo　nodded　and　reached　between　the　seats；　removed　the　megaphone　and　handed　it　to　Ho。　
　〃It's　battery　operated；〃　he　said。　〃Just　flick　that　switch。〃　
　Ho　flicked　it　on。　〃Testing。〃　
　It　worked。　He　stared　into　the　van；　where　the　rest　of　the　band　members　were　sprawled　across　the　seats　and　atop　the　cases　of　equipment。　
　〃Where's　Candace？〃　Ho　asked。　His　head　was　starting　to　clear。　That　was　dangerous。　
　〃We　are　going　to　meet　her　around　front；〃　Cabrillo　said　as　he　climbed　into　the　driver's　seat。　〃Now　I　need　to　get　my　people　to　the　hospital。〃　
　〃Tell　her　she　can　stay　if　she　wants；〃　Ho　said。　
　〃I'll　mention　it；〃　Cabrillo　said　as　he　twisted　the　key；　then　placed　the　van　in　gear　and　slowly　began　to　steer　through　the　crowd。　
　Ho　wandered　back　into　the　tent。　He　was　thinking　clearer　now。　The　megaphone　was　not　that　powerful；　but　if　he　could　find　a　spot　above　the　crowd　they　would　probably　be　able　to　hear　his　warning。　His　office　his　office　was　on　the　top　floor。　
　The　helicopter　pilot　touched　down　and　Truitt　opened　the　rear　door。　
　Then　Truitt；　Barrett；　Reyes　and　Huxley　struggled　to　slide　the　crate　inside　the　cargo　area。　Once　the　Golden　Buddha　was　safely　stowed；　they　laid　Spenser　on　the　floor　and　helped　Crabtree　inside。　Truitt　slid　the　door　closed；　then　slapped　it　twice　to　signal　the　pilot　to　lift　off。　Then　they　bent　over　and　protected　their　faces　from　the　rotor　wash　as　the　Eurocopter　lifted　back　into　the　air。　
　Once　the　helicopter　was　safely　away；　Reyes　stood　up。　
　〃I'm　supposed　to　give　you　guys　a　ride；〃　he　said　easily。　
　At　that　instant；　Reinholt　and　Pryor　had　just　reached　the　bottom　stair。　They　opened　the　front　door　and　walked　out　onto　the　driveway。　The　door　had　only　been　shut　a　few　seconds　before　Ho　raced　to　the　first　step　and　headed　up　to　his　office。　
　〃What's　the　playlist？〃　Hanley　asked　an　operator。　
　〃The　helicopter　has　Crabtree；　the　limo　contains　Reyes；　Barrett；　Truitt；　and　Huxley；　with　Reyes　driving。　Cabrillo　has　the　band　inside　the　van。〃　The　operator　pointed　to　the　screen。　〃They　are　just　past　the　end　of　the　tent　and　will　be　on　the　driveway　momentarily。〃
　〃Where's　Ross？〃　
　〃There；　on　the　grounds；〃　the　operator　said；　pointing。　
　The　van　containing　the　band　was　passing　and　she　came　into　view。　
　A　few　minutes　before；　Ross　had　ordered　the　waiters　to　dump　all　the　cups　of　punch；　then　she　wheeled　the　cart　containing　the　pitchers　outside　and　tipped　it　over。　
　〃Linda；〃　Hanley　ordered；　〃go　to　your　car　now！　I　want　you　out　of　there。〃　
　Ross　began　walking　quickly　to　the　front。　〃Who　else？〃　Hanley　asked。　
　〃King　is　on　the　wall　awaiting　extraction；　the　other　two　guards　should　be　in　front　now　and　that's　it；〃　the　operator　noted。　〃Is　the　van　full？〃　Hanley　said　to　Cabrillo。　Cabrillo　mouthed　yes　in　the　mirror。　
　The　van　rolled　onto　the　drive；　with　the　Mercedes…Benz　limousine　directly　to　the　rear。　Ross　followed　the　retreating　motorcade。　She　reached　the　Peugeot　and　started　the　engine。　
　〃Slow　at　the　front　door　and　tell　the　guards　they　will　be　catching　a　ride　with　Ross；〃　Hanley　said　to　Cabrillo；　who　acknowledged　the　instruction。　
　A　second　later；　he　slowed　the　van　and　explained；　then　continued　down　the　driveway　toward　the　gate。　The　first　team　was　almost　off　the　property。　
　Stanley　Ho　opened　the　door　to　his　office。　He　started　toward　the　window　to　warn　the　guests；　then　stopped　dead　in　his　tracks。　Cabrillo　made　it　out　the　gate　and　turned　right。　
　〃Slow　along　the　corner　of　the　wall；〃　Hanley　ordered。　〃The　King　ii　ing。〃　
　The　limousine　was　not　far　behind　the　van；　it　slowed　at　the　gate　to　turn　at　the　same　instant　Ross　pulled　up　at　the　front　door；　and　Reinholt　and　Pry　or　climbed　inside　the　Peugeot。　She　steered　toward　the　gate。　〃Close　the　gate；〃　Ho　screamed。　
　〃The　electricity's　out；〃　the　guard　said。　〃The　gates　are　locked　open。　〃You　need　to　stop　anyone　from　leaving；〃　Ho　shouted。　Ross　was　twenty　feet　from　the　gate　when　the　guard　burst　from　the　guard　shack；　fumbling　with　his　holster。　Ross　never　hesitated；　never　faltered。　She　steered　toward　the　guard　and　hit　the　gas。　At　the　same　second　the　guard　was　making　a　life…and…death　choice；　Cabrillo　heard　a　thump　as　Larry　King　jumped　from　the　wall　and　landed　on　the　roof　of　the　van。　Sliding　off　the　roof；　still　holding　the　case　containing　his　sniper　rifle；　he　opened　the　passenger　door；　tossed　the　case　between　the　seats；　and　climbed　into　Halpert's　lap。　The　limousine　passed　the　stopped　van；　and　then　blew　through　the　stop　sign　at　the　end　of　the　street。　
　The　front　gate　guard　could　not　get　his　weapon　out　of　the　holster。　As　the　Peugeot　accelerated　toward　him；　he　could　only　jump　out　of　the　way。　Ross　blew　through　the　gate　at　nearly　fifty　miles　an　hour；　then　stomped　on　the　brakes　and　twisted　the　wheel　to　the　stops。　
　The　Peugeot　slid　around　in　a　hard　right　turn。　Ross　hit　the　gas。　Ca…brillo's　van　was　moving　again。　He　raced　through　the　stop　sign　and　turned　right；　following　the　limousine；　just　as　the　guard　made　it　to　the　middle　of　the　street　in　front　of　the　mansion　and　removed　his　sidearm。　Sighting　down　the　barrel；　he　began　to　squeeze　off　rounds。　
　The　first　hit　the　left　rear　taillight；　the　second　and　third　went　wide。　The　fourth　entered　the　rear　window　and　shattered　the　rearview　mirror　at　the　same　instant　Ross　passed　the　stop　sign　and　did　a　left…hand　turn　toward　the　water。　
　
　ONCE　THE　LEVER　was　pulled　back；　the　cargo　inside　the　sidecai　of　the　motorcycle　began　sliding　down　a　chute　and　spilling　onto　the　road。　The　small　metal　orbs　were　about　the　size　of　marbles　but　wed　shaped　like　children's　jacks。　The　difference　with　these　jacks　was　that　thj　dozen　points　sticking　out　were　razor…sharp。　They　bounced　off　the　as　phalt　and　spread　across　the　road。　
　
　The　motorcycle　accelerated　away　as　the　police　car　hit　the　patch　metal　shards。　
　The　two　front　tires　exploded；　followed　a　second　later　by　the　real　The　police　car　careened　out　of　control　as　the　officer　fought　with　the　wheel；　while　at　the　same　time　stomping　on　the　brakes。　The　police　c　slid　hard　to　the　left；　slammed　into　a　newspaper　rack；　then　into　a　telphone　pole　just　beyond　the　rack。　A　microsecond　later；　the　air　bag　deployed　and　slammed　the　policeman　back　against　the　seat。　By　the　til　the　cloud　of　powder　from　the　airbag　inflating　cleared；　the　motorcycles　were　two　blocks　away。　
　After　pushing　the　bag　away　from　his　face；　the　officer　reached　for　the　radio。　〃I've　crashed　and　lost　them；〃　he　said。　
　
　
　DETECTIVE　LING　PO　was　monitoring　the　radio　inside　his　unmarked　squad　car　as　the　tow　truck　pulled　alongside。　Headquarters　had　just　reported　the　robbery　at　the　mansion　and　Po　knew　his　immediate　superior；　Sung　Rhee；　had　been　scheduled　to　attend。　Po　had　no　idea　why　Rhee　was　not　already　coordinating　the　efforts　to　capture　the　thieves。　A　few　minutes　before；　he'd　heard　the　report　from　the　officer　chasing　the　motorcyclists　who　had　robbed　the　A…Ma　Temple；　and　he　was　beginning　to　think　the　two　were　related。　He　jumped　out　of　the　car　and　ran　over　to　the　tow　truck。　
　〃Hook　this　up　fast；〃　he　said；　〃then　tow　me　up　to　Estrada　da　Penha。〃　
　〃Right　away；〃　the　driver　said。　
　Po　reached　into　his　car　and　removed　a　portable　radio。　He　continued　listening　as　the　driver　hooked　his　car　to　the　rear。　A　few　moments　later　they　were　on　their　way　around　the　hill；　then　up　to　the　mansion。　Eight　minutes　later；　the　tow　truck　stopped　on　the　street　outside　the　wall　around　the　mansion；　and　Po　raced　toward　the　gate。　A　guard　stood　in　the　dark　near　his　shack　and　Po　flashed　his　badge。　
　〃Detective　Ling　Po；〃　he　said　qu