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