cc.goldenbuddha-第49部分

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　〃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　office　so　we　can　sort　this　out？〃　
　〃I'm　not　going　anywhere；〃　Ho　said　loudly。　
　〃Everyone　calm　down；〃　Rhee　said。　
　He　motioned　to　a　conference　room；　pointed　for　the　reporters　to　remain　in　the　foyer；　and　then　led　the　rest　inside。　Once　everyone　was　inside　and　seated；　he　picked　up　the　telephone；　ordered　tea　to　be　delivered；　then　spoke。　
　〃Okay；　everyone；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃who　wants　to　begin？〃　Ho　stared　at　the　chief　inspector。　〃A　Buddha　I　purchased　for　two　hundred　million　dollars　in　Switzerland　was　stolen　tonight　while　you　were　at　a　party　at　my　house。　I　demand　to　know　if　you　have　recovered　it　yet。〃　
　〃I　lost　a　hundred　million　dollars　in　bearer　bonds　and　my　737　to　a　gang　of　criminals；〃　the　billionaire　said；　〃and　want　to　know　what　is　going　on　in　this　godforsaken　country。〃　
　Po　stood　up　and　paced　for　a　second。　〃Was　your　plane　valued　over　a　hundred　million？〃　he　asked　Friday。　
　The　billionaire　shook　his　head。　
　〃Then　it　looks　like　two　hundred　million　is　the　highest　bid　here　tonight；〃　Po　said。　
　　
　THE　STORM　SEWER　was　fast　being　a　watery　grave。　
　Less　than　three　feet　separated　the　rising　water　from　the　arched　dome　of　air　overhead。　The　drainpipes　on　the　top　of　the　tube　were　gushing　like　a　downpour。　The　water　was　littered　with　refuse　washed　from　the　streets　above。　Horns　by　saw　a　rat　swimming　toward　them　in　the　current　and　slapped　at　the　creature　with　a　paddle。　Just　ahead　was　another　junction。　
　〃We　need　to　make　a　decision；〃　he　shouted　over　the　roar　of　the　water。　〃Sink　or　swim。〃　
　Meadows　looked　forward。　In　the　dimming　light　from　the　miner's　hard　hat　he　could　just　see　the　torrent　ahead；　a　cascade　of　white　water　that　would　make　the　rafts　uncontrollable。　
　〃Ready　with　the　paddles；〃　he　shouted。　〃The　horse　has　to　lead　the　cart。〃　
　Digging　into　the　water　on　the　left　side　of　the　raft；　they　swung　the　stern　of　their　raft　to　the　right。　The　nose　of　the　lead　raft；　which　was　carrying　the　Golden　Buddha；　pulled　hard　left　but　made　the　turn　into　the　proper　channel。　The　turn　was　not　as　smooth　for　the　raft　carrying　the　trio　of　men。　It　slammed　amidships　into　the　junction；　and　the　corner　struck　Jones　hard　in　his　right　side。　He　hung　there　for　a　minute　pressed　against　a　concrete　arch　until　the　rope　holding　them　to　the　lead　raft　went　taut　and　yanked　them　down　the　channel。　
　〃Jonesy's　been　hurt；〃　Meadows　shouted　above　the　din。　
　Pete　Jones　was　clutching　the　side　of　his　chest　and　wheezing　to　catch　his　breath。　Turning　his　head；　in　the　dim　light　Hornsby　could　just　make　out　his　shredded　shirt　and　anguished　expression。　
　〃My　ribs；〃　Jones　managed　to　groan。　
　〃We　need　to　cut　the　raft　loose；〃　Hornsby　shouted。　〃There's　no　way　we'll　make　the　next　turn。〃　
　〃Maybe　we　should　slit　the　side　and　sink　the　Buddha；〃　Meadows　shouted。　〃Then　we　can　return　when　the　water　recedes　and　pull　it　out　of　here。〃　
　Jones　gritted　his　teeth　and　stared　at　his　watch。　〃The　Oregon；〃　he　said　painfully；　〃is　due　to　sail　this　morning。　If　we　don't　get　this　out　now；　we　never　will。〃　
　Hornsby　thought　for　a　second；　then　decided。　The　next　junction　would　be　ing　up　in　a　few　minutes。　Taking　a　pen　from　his　shirt　pocket；　he　stared　at　the　GPS；　then　drew　the　rest　of　their　intended　course　on　the　back　of　his　hand。　
　〃Bob；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　going　onto　the　lead　raft。　My　weight　will　place　it　low　in　the　water；　but　it　should　still　remain　afloat。　As　soon　as　I'm　on　top　of　the　case　holding　the　Buddha；　cut　me　loose。〃　
　He　handed　Meadows　the　GPS。　
　〃You　sure；　Horny？〃　
　Hornsby　threw　his　paddle　onto　the　top　of　the　Buddha；　pulled　the　rope　to　bring　the　rear　raft　closer；　then　turned。　
　〃Ready　your　knife；〃　he　said。　
　Unclipping　a　folding　knife　from　his　belt；　Meadows　opened　the　blade　and　nodded。　
　Hornsby　crouched　and　hopped　the　short　distance　to　the　lead　raft。　As　soon　as　he　was　clear；　Meadows　sliced　through　the　tether；　then　dug　his　paddle　into　the　side　to　slow　down　his　raft。　Hornsby　squirted　ahead。　In　the　dim　light；　Meadows　could　see　the　Buddha　was　awash；　and　only　a　portion　of　Hornsby's　head　and　torso　were　above　the　waterline。　
　〃Going　right；〃　Hornsby　shouted　as　he　pulled　ahead；　〃then　left。〃　
　
　AS　THE　STORM　sewer　pipes　came　closer　to　the　water；　they　increased　in　diameter　so　the　storm　water　would　not　bee　pressurized　and　blow　apart　the　tiles。　At　six　places　under　Macau　were　large　square　pond…like　storage　facilities　where　the　water　could　pool　and　lose　some　speed　before　spilling　out　into　the　last　series　of　pipes　and　eventually　the　bay。　
　Murphy　and　Kasim　were　motoring　around　in　circles　in　one　of　them。　
　〃Five　more　minutes；〃　Murphy　shouted。　〃Then　we　go　in　and　find　them。〃　
　Kasim　gave　three　more　blasts　on　the　air　horn。　〃They　should　be　here　by　now；〃　he　agreed。　
　At　just　that　instant；　Murphy's　digital　pager　beeped　and　he　pushed　the　button　to　light　the　screen。　Scrolling　through　the　message；　he　nodded　his　head。　
　〃They　poured　paint　into　the　sewers　to　follow　the　flow；〃　he　said　as　he　steered　the　Zodiac　into　another　tight　circle。　〃If　it　makes　it　down　our　escape　channel；　we're　screwed。〃　
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Kasim　asked。　
　〃The　paint　will　bring　the　Chinese　to　the　area；　as　well　as　marking　the　sides　of　the　Zodiac；〃　Murphy　said。　〃Then　they'll　grab　us　and　take　us　in　for　questioning。〃　
　〃What's　the　Oregon　remend？〃　
　Murphy　was　quiet　for　a　moment　before　answering。　〃They　want　us　to　blow　up　the　tunnel　leading　into　here　and　seal　off　the　tainted　water。〃　
　〃How　long　do　we　have？〃
　〃Six　minutes　and　forty…seven　seconds；〃　Murphy　said；　removing　…a　satchel　charge　from　one　of　the　bags　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。　
　〃What　about　the　others？〃　Kasim　asked。
　〃If　they　aren't　out　by　then；〃　Murphy　said；　〃the　Oregon　said　to　assume　they　took　a　wrong　turn　or　drowned　inside。　Then　we　need　to　protect　our　own　asses　and　make　a　safe　retreat。〃　Murphy　angled　the　Zodiac　over　to　the　pipe　leading　into　the　holding　pool。　Using　the　power　of　the　outboard　motor；　he　held　the　boat　in　place　against　the　strong　current　until　Kasim　had　attached　the　charges　to　the　top　of　the　storm　sewer。　Once　the　explosives　were　in　place；　Kasim　activated　the　digital　timer。　Four；　three；　two；　one；　and　the　red　light　blinked。　〃Give　the　signal　again；〃　Murphy　said　as　he　backed　the　Zodiac　away。　
　
　IT　WAS　LIKE　Hornsby　was　riding　a　log　down　a　flume。　He　was　almost　awash　and　the　distance　over　his　head　to　the　top　of　the　pipe　was　narrowing　as　the　water　continued　rising。　The　last　turn　had　been　made　by　gouging　his　paddle　into　the　water　and　bringing　the　bow　slightly　to　one　side。　He　readied　his　leg　to　push　against　the　wall　for　the　next　bend。　Hornsby　had　lost　sight　of　the　others。　The　light　on　his　hard　hat　was　nearly　out　and　he　had　no　way　to　know　if　Meadows　and　Jones　had　taken　the　correct　channel。　Anyway；　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　if　they　hadn't。　He　was　more　concerned　for　his　own　survival。　He　jammed　his　leg　against　the　wall　and　the　raft　lumbered　over　into　the　correct　channel。　And　then；　like　the　distant　chirping　of　a　mother　bird　calling　her　young；　he　heard　the　faint　sound　of　a　horn　sounding　three　times。　The　raft；　with　Hornsby　atop　the　Golden　Buddha；　raced　on　the　current　in　the　direction　of　the　sound。　
　
　AS　THE　ZODIAC　circled；　Kasim　attempted　to　keep　a　portable　spotlight　trained　at　the　opening　of　the　pipe。　The　timer　on　the　satchel　I　charge　was　ticking　down　and；　quite　honestly；　he　was　beginning　to　lose　faith　this　was　all　going　to　work　out。　〃Two　minutes；〃　he　said　over　the　sound　of　the　motor。　Murphy　listened　intently。　A　sound　was　ing　from　the　tunnel　that　sounded　like　the　bellowing　of　a　wounded　animal。　And　then；　riding　on　a　scream　and　a　prayer；　Cliff　Hornsby　shot　from　the　pipe　and　slid　halfway　across　the　pond。　Murphy　quickly　angled　the　Zodiac　alongside　and　Kasim　grabbed　the　edge　of　the　raft。　
　〃Where　are　the　others？〃　Murphy　shouted。　Hornsby　wiped　the　water　from　his　eyes　and　glanced　at　the　high…barreled　ceiling　just　barely　visible　from　the　spotlight　trained　on　the　timer。　〃They　were　right　behind　me。〃
　〃Did　you　see　any　colored　water？〃　Kasim　asked。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃They　poured　paint　in　the　manhole　to　trace　the　flow　of　water；〃　Murphy　said。　〃Did　you　see　anything　in　the　water？〃
　〃No；〃　Hornsby　said。　〃One　minute；　th