cc.goldenbuddha-第43部分
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〃Weight problems?〃 Jones asked。
〃Each raft can carry a maximum of seven hundred pounds;〃 Hornsby said。 〃Since none of us weighs under a hundred pounds; he'll need to ride alone。〃
Meadows was unpacking the second raft。 He laid it out and attached the inflator。 As it was filling with air; he spoke。 〃What do you think?〃 he asked his partners。 〃Should we let the Buddha lead or follow?〃
Hornsby thought for a moment。 〃If he's behind; the weight might push us into something。〃
〃But if he leads;〃 Jones said; 〃we can let go of the lead rope if we get into trouble。〃
Meadows stared at the rapidly filling pipe just ahead。 〃There will not be much steering required;〃 he said; pointing to the rising water。 〃I think we'll all just go with the flow。〃
〃Then he leads;〃 Hornsby said as he grabbed one end of the Buddha to wrestle it onto the raft; 〃and we just go along for the ride。〃
〃Hear; hear;〃 Meadows said。
〃Makes sense to me;〃 Jones added。
〃TALBOT?〃 SPENSER SAID。 〃You're part of this?〃 Hanley walked over to Spenser and stood as the art dealer examined him。 At least he seemed to be passing the visual testSpenser was waiting for him to answer。
〃Win 。 。 。 ston Spen 。 。 。 ser; you old 。 。 。 ;〃 Hanley croaked。 He sounded like a cheap P。A。 system in a run…down school。 Hanley moved the small device from his voice box and spoke in his normal voice。 〃Kevin;〃 he said; 〃e take a look at thisI thought I had it dialed in right。〃
Nixon walked over and flipped the device over。 He took a pen from his shirt pocket and clicked a small toggle switch over two notches。 〃You had the delay used for telephone transmissions engaged; boss;〃
Nixon said。 〃Try it now。〃
〃Hi; Winston;〃 Hanley said。 〃Long time no see。〃
Spenser stared at the man and shook his head。 Had he not seen the I device malfunction; he might have been all rightas it was; everything that had happened to him was rushing back in a flood。 Now these people had created some kind of robot。 Who knew what they might do next?
〃Mr。 Talbot;〃 Spenser managed to say。
〃I think you fixed it; Kevin;〃 Hanley said。
Spenser stood mute。
〃Okay; everyone; listen up;〃 Cabrillo said; 〃it's almost time。〃
DETECTIVE LING PO stared at the mass of melted metal。 The support beams of the float had been twisted into grotesque shapes by the intense heat of the fire; and they were wrapped around the remains of the motorcycles like the blackened tentacles of an octopus。 A handler with a dog was poking at one side of the wreckage。
〃Sir;〃 the handler said; 〃the dog is not signaling any human remains。〃
〃Does that mean there are none?〃 Po asked。
〃Usually; it would need to be an extremely hot fire to fully turn a corpse to ash。 Anything less than that he'll smell。〃
Po glanced at the wreckage。 It had melted the asphalt of the road; and parts of the metal support beams were imbedded into the roadway。 There was no way to tell with any certainty what was underneath。
〃Hook a chain to the end;〃 Po said; 〃and drag it with one of the trucks。 I want to see what's under there。〃
A fireman ran to remove a chain from the storage partment on his truck。 A few minutes later he had one end secured to the wreckage and the other end to the truck's bumper。 Slowly; the fireman eased the truck forward and the wreckage was wrestled from down in the asphalt。 After dragging it a few feet north; the fireman stopped his truck。
〃It that far enough?〃 he shouted out the window to Po。
〃Perfect;〃 Po said; staring at the manhole cover。
Bending down; Po tried to lift the cover; but he had no luck。 Another fireman removed a tool from the truck and slid it into the small opening on the manhole cover; then pried it open。 He slid the cover a few feet away。 Po removed a small flashlight from his pocket and shined it down into the hole。
〃Bingo;〃 he said。
Reaching for his cell phone; he dialed the number for headquarters。
〃Sir;〃 he said; 〃I think I know where the A…Ma Temple Buddha went。〃
THERE ARE A total of sixteen places in Macau where the storm runoff exits into the bay。 Seng and his team were pulling up to the only one that mattered。 After securing the Zodiacs to some rocks alongside the grate; Seng walked over and examined the metal shield。 The square screen was made of tubular stock; with the openings measuring some two feet by two feet; or large enough to allow any trash to pass through。 It was connected to the angled concrete slab that attached to the storm sewer by a series of large bolts。 Seng walked back to the Zodiac and removed a toolbox。 Finding the proper size socket; he attached it to a battery…operated wrench; then walked back over to the grate and began to remove the bolts。 Once the bolts were all free; Seng; Huxley; Murphy and Kasim positioned themselves on all four corners of the grate and lifted it free。 The water was racing out of the outflow; and on the far side Murphy and Kasim had some trouble pulling the grate onto the rocks。 Once it was out of the way; everyone stared into the opening。
〃It's being a river in there;〃 Huxley said finally。
Seng threw a strip of bright yellow plastic in the stream and then timed the movement。 He stared at the second hand of his watch intently…Once the piece of plastic was fifty yards out in the Inner Harbour; he calculated the speed。
〃The water's flowing about ten miles an hour;〃 he said; 〃but you know that's going to increase。〃
〃Piece of cake for the Zodiacs;〃 Murphy said。
Seng nodded。
〃As long as we don't run out of headroom;〃 Kasim said; 〃we should be able to collect our boys and be back on the Oregon in an hour or so。〃
Seng started walking back to the Zodiac。 〃Okay; you two;〃 Seng said; 〃drive on in and collect the team。 Julia and I will be providing security; just like we planned。〃
〃Be back shortly;〃 Kasim said as he climbed behind the wheel。
If only it'd be so easy。
CABRILLO TOOK AN erasable marker and drew on a board placed on one of the benches。 〃I just checked again and the 737 is parked here;〃 Cabrillo said; making an X on the board。 〃They won't be moving until they taxi out to leave。 Adams will drive Spenser in the SUV to the ramp; then park。〃 Adams nodded in agreement。
〃Once you've stopped; climb out and erect the portable awning over the rear of the truck;〃 Cabrillo said。 〃Then you can open the crate displaying the Buddha。〃
〃What if the buyer wants us to bring the Buddha aboard?〃 Spenser asked。
〃Tell him no;〃 Cabrillo said。 〃He needs to do his inspection on the ground and take ownership on Macau soil。〃
Spenser nodded; but he didn't look convinced。
〃Max;〃 Cabrillo continued; 〃you are going to leave in a few minutes and make your way around to the front terminal; where a cab will bring you back to the 737。〃
〃Got it;〃 Hanley said。
Cabrillo paused and stared at the team。 〃This should go nice and easy;〃 he said quietly。 〃Hanley will verify the authenticity; the payment will be made; and then the billionaire can haul the Buddha aboard。 Any questions?〃
No one spoke。
〃All right then;〃 Cabrillo said。 〃Good luck; Max。〃 Hanley nodded and walked toward a rear door to the hangar。 〃George;〃 Cabrillo said; 〃you and Spenser can climb in the SUV。 We'll want to give Hanley a few minutes to make contact and some small talk; then we need to make the approach。〃
Adams nodded and motioned to Spenser to climb in the passenger seat of the Chevrolet。
THE SOFTWARE BILLIONAIRE was drinking tea with coconut milk and smoking a thin cheroot。 The intrigue of the event had caught up to him and; a few minutes before; he had retired to the rear partment of the 737 to change into all black clothing。 His success in the software industry; a condition of luck and timing more than skill and ability; had over the years allowed his ego to swell into dangerous proportions。 He was beginning to believe his own hype。 At this instant; with the drugs and sex wearing off and the nicotine and caffeine increasing; he was beginning to think he was a secret agent。 The heist; followed by the payoff; and then absconding with the goods。 He was already thinking about the fun he would have relaying the story to his friends。
HANLEY WALKED OVER