cc.goldenbuddha-第48部分

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ot；　Judy　Michaels；　walked　inside　and　slid　back　into　her　seat。　She　was　dressed　in　a　khaki　flight　suit　and　her　face　was　freshly　scrubbed。　〃Tracy　is　changing　and　checking　the　equipment；〃　she　said。　〃Did　I　tell　you；　you　did　a　great　job？〃　Gunderson　asked。　〃You　both　are　most　convincing　ho's。〃　
　〃A　master's　degree　in　political　science　from　Georgetown　and　four　years　with　the　National　Security　Council；　and　I'm　sleeping　with　the　enemy；〃　Michaels　said。　
　Gunderson　popped　the　last　of　the　sandwich　in　his　mouth；　then　brushed　the　crumbs　off　his　hands。　Washing　the　last　bite　down　with　a　sip　of　iced　tea；　he　spoke。　
　〃I　think　you　forget　I　seduced　a　Romanian　countess　a　few　years　ago；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃We　do　what　we　have　to；　to　acplish　the　objective。〃　
　〃I　remember；　Chuck；〃　Michaels　said。　〃In　fact；　I　seem　to　remember　you　rather　enjoyed　the　assignment。〃　
　Gunderson　smiled。　〃So　you　didn't　like　yours？〃　
　Michaels　noted　readings　from　the　instrument　panel　on　a　clipboard。　〃The　guy　was　a　freak；〃　she　said。　〃Capital　PH；　phreak。〃　
　〃Then　it　serves　him　right；〃　Gunderson　said　as　he　unbuckled　his　seat　belt　and　slid　from　the　pilot's　seat；　〃that　we　swiped　his　plane。〃　
　〃On　the　controls；〃　Michaels　said。　
　〃I　have　to　use　the　restroom；〃　Gunderson　said　to　Rosselli。　〃Be　right　back。〃　
　
　IN　THE　DINING　room　on　the　Oregon；　Winston　Spenser　was　sipping　tea　and　worrying。　Off　to　one　side；　at　a　separate　table；　a　guard　sat　on　silent　watch。　Juan　Cabrillo　entered　the　dining　room；　walked　over　to　Spenser；　and　handed　him　a　slip　of　paper。　
　〃That's　the　account　number　of　the　bank　in　Paraguay；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃The　transfer　has　taken　place　and　the　funds　are　available　now。　If　the　account　is　not　accessed　within　one　year　of　today；　the　funds　will　automatically　bounce　back　to　one　of　our　banks。　The　sectmd　you　make　a　deposit　or　withdrawal；　however；　within　the　next　year　the　puter　erases　all　traces　of　where　the　money　came　from　or　would　go　to。〃
　〃Why　one　year？〃　Spenser　asked。　
　〃Because；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃in　the　financial　shape　you're　in；　if　you　don't　touch　the　money　in　a　year；　it'll　be　because　you're　dead。〃　
　Spenser　nodded。　
　Next；　Cabrillo　handed　Spenser　a　folder　with　a　plane　ticket。　〃Hong　Kong　to　Dubai；　then　on　to　Paraguay；　first　class。　It's　the　first　available　flight　tomorrow　morning。〃　Spenser　took　the　ticket。　
　〃Here　is　ten　thousand　dollars　in　U。S。　currency；〃　Cabrillo　said；　handing　Spenser　an　envelope。　〃Any　more　will　arouse　suspicions。〃　Spenser　took　the　envelope。　
　〃That　concludes　our　agreement；　Mr。　Spenser；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃We　have　called　a　cab　to　take　you　where　you　want　to　go。　It　will　be　pulling　up　at　the　side　of　the　ship　in　a　few　minutes。〃　
　The　guard　stood　up　and　waited　for　Spenser　to　rise。　Cabrillo　started　for　the　door。　
　〃Can　I　ask　you　a　question？〃　Spenser　said。　
　Cabrillo　had　just　opened　the　door。　He　stopped；　turned　and　nodded。　
　〃This　all　seems　a　little　too　perfect；〃　Spenser　said。　〃What's　the　catch？〃　
　〃You　still　have　to　make　it　to　Hong　Kong；〃　Cabrillo　said　as　he　walked　through　the　door。　
　
　ON　THE　OREGON'S　rear　deck；　George　Adams　waited　as　a　landing　pad　on　the　fantail　rose　up　to　deck　level。　A　hard　rain　was　raking　the　deck　and　the　winds　were　a　steady　twenty　knots　from　east　to　west。　He　turned　to　Tom　Reyes。　
　〃Once　the　deckhand　locks　the　lift　in　place；　we　need　to　rotate　the　whirlybird　into　the　wind；〃　he　said。　〃Then　I'm　going　to　need　to　make　a　hot　takeoff　into　the　wind。〃　
　Reyes　nodded　and　watched　as　another　deckhand　rolled　a　metal　cart　containing　several　boxes　near　the　lift。　The　elevator　operator　signaled　that　the　lift　was　locked；　and　Adams　and　Reyes　walked　over。　
　The　Robinson　R…44　helicopter　was　a　medium…sized　piston…engine　craft　with　a　top　speed　of　just　over　130　miles　an　hour。　The　weight　was　1；420　pounds；　the　horsepower　of　the　power　plant　260；　and　the　cost　was　about　300；000。　
　The　two　men　attached　ground…handling　wheels；　spun　the　ship　around；　then　removed　the　wheels　and　handed　them　to　the　deckhand。　
　〃We　distributed　the　dye　into　plastic　baggies　like　you　ordered；〃　the　deckhand　noted。　
　Adams　nodded　and　turned　to　Reyes。　〃Keep　the　box　at　your　feet；　but　away　from　the　foot　pedals。　I'll　take　us　down　as　low　as　we　can　safely　go；　but　the　ride　will　be　touchy　because　of　the　wind。〃　
　〃I　understand；〃　Reyes　said。　
　Adams　did　a　quick　walk　around　the　helicopter；　checking　fuel　oil　and　general　condition；　then　motioned　to　Reyes。　〃Hop　in；〃　he　said；　〃and　we'll　get　this　show　on　the　road。〃　
　Once　both　men　were　in　the　seats；　Adams　reached　down　and　ran　through　the　preflight　checklist。　Once　he　was　done；　he　screamed　〃Clear〃　out　the　window　and　engaged　the　starter。　Once　the　engine　had　fired　and　the　clutch　was　engaged；　the　rotor　blades　started　slowly　spinning；　then　gathered　speed　until　the　helicopter　was　shaking　and　vibrating。　Adams　watched　the　gauges　closely；　and　when　the　engine　was　warmed　and　everything　had　settled　down；　he　spoke　through　the　headset　microphone　to　Reyes。　
　〃Hold　on；　Tom；〃　Adams　said；　〃this　will　be　like　a　giant　jump。〃　
　Neutralizing　the　cyclic；　Adams　quickly　lifted　the　collective　and　the　tiny　bird　left　the　pad。　A　second　later；　Adams　eased　the　cyclic　forward　and　the　helicopter　nosed　over　into　the　wind；　rising　and　moving　forward　at　the　same　time。　
　Clear　of　the　Oregon；　Adams　flew　directly　into　the　wind。　Heading　offshore　a　distance；　he　then　started　to　angle　back　toward　Macau。　Around　the　knee　of　his　flight　suit　was　a　strap　with　a　metal　clip；　and　in　the　clip　was　a　folded　slip　of　paper　showing　the　locations　of　the　storm　sewer　outflows。　
　〃There　we　go；〃　Adams　said；　spotting　the　dirty　water　where　a　pipe　spilled　into　the　bay。　
　Reyes　reached　down　in　the　box；　removed　a　baggie；　slid　the　top　open　partway；　and　then　tossed　it　out　the　small　window　opening　in　the　passenger　door。　It　tumbled　through　the　ten　feet　from　the　helicopter　to　the　water　and　began　to　spread　out　like　blood　from　a　rare　steak。　
　In　the　distance；　a　police　boat　heard　the　noise　from　the　helicopter　but　it　could　not　make　it　out　in　the　rain。　Adams　moved　the　helicopter　up　the　line；　salting　the　water　on　the　east　side　of　Macau。　Then　he　steered　around　the　end　of　the　peninsula　between　Macau　and　Taipa　to　repeat　the　exercise。　
　
　DETECTIVE　PO　PARKED　in　front　of　the　headquarters　of　the　Macau　Police　Department；　then　walked　through　the　rain　toward　the　front　doors。　In　the　east；　the　sky　was　lightening　some；　but　the　rain　continued　on　unabated。　
　Entering　the　building；　he　rode　the　elevator　up　to　Rhee's　floor；　then　exited　the　elevator　and　walked　down　the　hallway。　Upon　reaching　the　reception　area；　he　instantly　knew　that　there　was　trouble　afoot。　The　U。S。　consular　agent；　the　mayor　of　Macau；　a　Chinese　general　and　four　reporters　were　clustered　around　a　man　dressed　entirely　in　black。　
　〃This　isn't　a　case　of　shoplifting；〃　the　man　in　black　said　loudly。　〃They've　stolen　a　Boeing　737；　for　God's　sake。〃　
　It　had　been　a　case　of　blind　luck　for　the　software　billionaire。　Still　refused　a　telephone　call；　he　had　been　brought　to　headquarters　to　be　questioned　by　Rhee　in　his　office。　As　soon　as　they　had　entered　the　office；　however；　the　billionaire　had　noticed　a　copy　of　Fortune　magazine　on　Rhee's　side　table。　His　face　was　gracing　the　cover。　Once　he'd　pointed　that　out　to　Rhee；　things　had　begun　happening　fast。　
　The　billionaire　had　turned　from　suspect　to　victim　in　seconds。　
　Po　walked　over　and　stood　next　to　Rhee。　
　Po　heard　him　whisper　〃Damn〃　as　the　elevator　door　opened　again　and　Stanley　Ho　started　down　the　hall。　
　〃Have　you　found　my　Buddha？〃　Ho　said　as　soon　as　he　was　within　range。　
　〃Who　the　hell　is　this？〃　the　billionaire　asked。　
　〃I'm　Stanley　Ho；〃　Ho　said　in　aggravation。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　〃Marcus　Friday；〃　the　billionaire　said　loudly。　〃You　might　have　heard　of　me？〃　
　〃And　you　of　me；〃　Ho　said；　affronted。　〃I'm　one　of　Forbes's　richest　people。〃　
　〃I　know　all　the　people　ahead　of　me　on　the　listyou　aren't　one　of　them；〃　Friday　retorted。　
　Detective　Po　smiled　to　himself。　If　all　this　was　true；　it　was　the　greatest　game　of　one…upmanship　he　had　ever　seen。　Here　was　a　pair　of　obscenely　rich　men　vying　for　attention　like　children　trying　to　be　picked　for　kickball。　
　〃Yeah；〃　Ho　began　to　say；　〃well；　this　is　my　town；　and　you　can〃　
　〃Mr。　Ho；〃　Detective　Po　said　quickly；　〃why　don't　you　e　down　to　my　of