cc.goldenbuddha-第51部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Jones　nodded　but　did　not　speak。　
　The　exit　from　the　pipe　was　like　riding　over　a　waterfall　on　a　class　IV　rapid。　The　water　was　spewing　out　of　the　pipe　with　tremendous　force。　The　plume　cascaded　through　the　air　twenty　feet；　then　dropped　seven　feet　down　to　the　water　of　the　bay。　Murphy　held　to　the　wheel　as　the　Zodiac　was　propelled　through　the　air。　As　soon　as　he　felt　the　boat　leave　the　water；　he　pulled　back　on　the　throttle　so　he　wouldn't　over…rev　the　engine；　then　braced　himself　for　the　splashdown。　
　〃Let　go；〃　he　screamed　to　Hornsby　and　Meadows。　The　lines　on　the　two　towed　rafts　were　released　and　they　separated　a　few　feet　from　the　Zodiac　at　the　same　instant　the　wall　of　water　filled　the　pipe；　then　burst　through　the　air　with　tremendous　force。　
　〃Wow；〃　Seng　shouted　at　the　sight　of　the　rafts　squirting　through　the　air。　
　〃Hold　on；〃　Meadows　shouted　to　Jones　as　the　raft　flew　through　the　air；　then　slapped　on　the　surface　of　the　water　before　slowing　almost　to　a　stop。　
　〃Are　you　okay？〃　Meadows　said　a　few　seconds　later。　〃Do　you　need　anything？〃　
　Jones　wiped　the　water　from　his　face；　then　shifted　his　body　to　ease　the　pain　of　his　cracked　ribs　as　the　raft　stopped　in　the　water　and　bobbed。　
　〃I've　been　better；〃　Jones　said。　〃I　think　it　would　help　if　you　would　hum　a　few　bars　of　'Suwannee　River。'〃　
　
　PO　WAS　INSIDE　the　conference　room　with　Rhee；　Ho　and　Marcus　Friday。　A　police　sergeant　entered　and　whispered　in　his　ear。　〃What　the　hell　do　you　mean？〃　he　asked。　
　〃A　few　of　our　people　heard　what　sounded　like　a　helicopter；〃　the　sergeant　said。　〃Now　all　the　waters　around　Macau　are　a　bright　pink　color。〃　
　〃Those　bastards；〃　Po　said。　〃They're　covering　their　tracks。〃　
　〃Who？〃　the　sergeant　asked。　
　〃I　don't　know　who；〃　Po　said；　〃but　I　intend　to　find　out。〃　Po　waved　the　sergeant　away；　then　walked　over　to　Rhee　and　motioned　for　him　to　move　a　few　feet　away　so　they　could　talk　in　private。　Once　he　explained　what　the　sergeant　had　told　him；　Rhee　had　only　one　thing　to　say。　
　〃Seal　the　port；〃　Rhee　said。　〃No　one　in　or　out。〃　
　The　sound　of　a　ship　under　power　came　across　the　water。　〃They're　ing；〃　Seng　said。　
　
　CAPTAIN　SMITH　WALKED　the　pilot　to　the　ladder　leading　down　and　bid　him　farewell。　The　pilot　climbed　down　the　ladder；　then　stepped　across　to　the　pilot　boat；　which　quickly　backed　away　from　the　Oregon。　Smith　watched　the　pilot　boat　accelerate　away　into　the　rain。　
　The　pilot　boat　was　still　visible　when　it　began　to　slow　and　turn。　
　Cabrillo　reached　for　a　tiny　radio　at　his　belt　and　flicked　it　on。　〃Max；〃　he　said　quickly；　〃what's　happening？〃　
　〃The　authorities　have　ordered　the　port　sealed；〃　Hanley　said。　〃The　pilot's　been　ordered　to　bring　us　back　to　port。〃　
　Cabrillo　sprinted　across　the　deck　as　he　spoke。　〃Full　steam　ahead；〃　he　shouted。　〃I'll　be　in　the　control　room　in　a　few　minutes。〃　
　
　　AS　SOON　AS　Kasim　helped　Meadows　and　Jones　aboard　the　Zodiac；　Murphy　slit　the　rubber　raft　with　a　knife。　The　raft　drifted　away　and　began　to　sink。　At　the　same　time；　Seng　and　Huxley　helped　Hornsby　aboard　and　the　three　of　them　wrestled　the　Golden　Buddha　aboard　their　Zodiac。　Murphy　idled　his　boat　close　just　as　they　had　finished　stowing　the　golden　icon　amidships。　
　〃I　just　spoke　to　Hanley；〃　he　said　to　Seng。　〃The　Oregon　is　almost　to　the　outer　buoy。　We　are　supposed　to　rendezvous　with　them　in　open　water。〃　
　Kasim　raised　his　hand　for　quiet　as　the　radio　barked。　He　listened　intently　over　his　earpiece。　
　〃Got　it；〃　he　said。　
　〃That　was　the　Oregon　again；〃　he　said。　〃They　just　intercepted　a　transmission　from　the　police　to　the　port　authorities。　They　have　ordered　the　port　sealedno　one　in　or　out。　The　police　and　port　authority　boats　have　been　given　orders　to　fire　on　any　craft　that　refuses　to　ply。〃　
　〃Shh　。　。　。　；〃　Seng　said。　
　
　〃RHEE　WAS　IN　his　office。　The　port's　night　manager　was　on　the　other　JL　V^nd　of　the　phone　line。　
　〃They　won't　stop？〃　he　asked。　
　〃The　pilot　boat　can't　reach　them；〃　the　port　manager　noted。　〃The　pilot　that　guided　them　out　mentioned　that　the　vessel　was　in　terrible　shapemaybe　their　radios　are　faulty。〃　
　〃Have　the　pilot　boat　outrun　them　and　deliver　the　message　in　person。〃　
　〃I　already　ordered　that；〃　the　manager　said　in　exasperation。　〃But　the　ship　keeps　gaining　speedthe　pilot　boat　can't　seem　to　catch　up　with　her。〃　
　〃I　thought　you　said　the　ship　was　a　rust　bucket；〃　Rhee　said。　〃She's　a　fast　rust　bucket；〃　the　manager　noted。　〃Our　pilot　boats　can　do　over　thirty　knots。〃　
　〃Damn；〃　Rhee　said。　〃How　long　until　the　ship　reaches　international　waters？〃　
　〃Not　long；〃　the　manager　admitted。　
　〃Get　me　the　navy；〃　Rhee　shouted　to　Po；　who　reached　for　another　telephone。　
　〃What　do　you　want　us　to　do？〃　the　port　manager　asked。　
　〃Nothing；〃　Rhee　said。　〃You've　already　done　enough。〃　
　He　slammed　down　the　telephone　and　took　the　one　in　Po's　hand。　
　The　second　in　mand　of　the　Chinese　navy　detachment　in　Macau　was　on　the　line。　
　〃This　is　the　chief　of　the　Macau　police。　We　need　you　to　stop　a　ship　heading　out　into　the　South　China　Sea；〃　he　said　quickly。　
　〃We　have　a　hydrofoil　that　can　run　at　sixty…five　knots；〃　the　Chinese　navy　officer　told　him；　〃but　it　isn't　very　heavily　armed。〃　
　〃This　is　an　old　cargo　ship；〃　Rhee　said　loudly。　〃I　doubt　she'll　put　up　much　of　a　fight。〃　
　Rhee　had　no　way　of　knowing　it；　but　he'd　just　made　the　biggest　error　of　his　life。　
　
　CABRILLO　BURST　INTO　the　control　room；　shedding　his　grimy　rain　suit　while　at　the　same　time　removing　the　dental　appliance　that　made　his　teeth　appear　as　stubs。　He　tossed　both　to　the　side　and　tugged　at　his　fake　beard　as　he　spoke。　〃Okay；　what's　the　situation？〃　
　〃We　just　intercepted　a　munique　from　the　Chinese　navy　to　their　high…speed　hydrofoil。　They've　been　ordered　to　intercept　usa　naval　frigate　and　a　fast…attack　corvette　are　following。〃　
　〃Any　other　ships？〃　
　〃No；〃　Hanley　said。　〃That's　the　only　Chinese　navy　firepower　currently　in　Macau。〃　
　〃Where's　our　team　with　the　Golden　Buddha？〃　Cabrillo　asked　as　he　tossed　the　beard　aside；　then　spit　out　a　sliver　of　latex　left　over　from　the　false　teeth　mold。　
　〃They　are　driving　at　full　speed　out　of　port；〃　Stone　said；　pointing　to　a　screen。　〃But　it　looks　like　they　have　picked　up　a　tail。〃　
　〃Get　me　Adams；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃While　he's　making　his　way　here；　have　the　deckhands　drop　the　walls　on　the　helicopter　pad　and　start　raising　the　Robinson　from　the　lower　hangar。〃
　〃Got　it；〃　Stone　said。　
　〃Max；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃get　me　Langston　Overholt　on　a　secure　line。〃　Hanley　started　to　assemble　the　satellite　link。　
　Cabrillo　stared　at　the　screen　showing　the　progress　of　the　Zodiacs　and　the　ship　pursuing　them。　Then　he　glanced　over　at　another　screen　that　showed　the　Oregon's　location　and　the　path　of　the　Chinese　navy　vessels　giving　chase。　The　screens　were　filled　with　blinking　lights　and　estimated　paths。　
　〃Adams　will　be　here　in　a　second；〃　Stone　said。　
　〃Sound　battle　stations；〃　Cabrillo　said　quietly。　
　Stone　pushed　a　button　and　a　loud　whooping　noise　filled　the　Oregon。　
　Belowdecks　in　the　sick　bay；　Gunther　Reinholt　heard　the　sound　and　sat　up　in　bed。　Swiveling　to　one　side；　he　slid　his　feet　into　a　pair　of　carpet　slippers。　Rising　to　his　full　height；　he　reached　around　and　tightened　his　hospital　gown　around　his　body。　Then　with　one　hand　on　his　IV　drip；　which　was　hanging　from　a　stainless…steel　rack　with　a　wheeled　base；　he　began　to　shuffle　from　the　sick　bay　to　the　engine　room。　
　Reinholt　knew　that　if　the　Oregon　went　to　war；　they　would　need　every　hand　on　station。　
　
　THE　CAPTAIN　OF　the　Chinese　navy　hydrofoil　Gale　Force；　Deng　Ching；　stared　through　the　square　floor…to…ceiling　windows　of　the　control　room　with　a　pair　of　high…powered　binoculars。　His　craft　had　risen　up　to　her　full　height　of　twelve　feet　above　the　water　a　few　moments　before。　The　hydrofoil　was　now　reaching　speeds　of　nearly　fifty　knots。　Ching　turned　and　glanced　at　the　radar　screen。　The　cargo　ship　was　still　a　distance　away；　but　the　gap　was　closing。
　〃Are　the　sailors　on　the　forward　guns　locked　and　loaded？〃　he　asked　his　second　in　mand。
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　officer　replied。
　〃Once　we　draw　closer；　I'll　want　to　send　a　volley　over　their　heads；〃　
　Ching　said。　〃That　should　be　enough；〃　the　second　in　mand　agreed。　
　
　LANGSTON　OVERHOLT　SAT　in　his　office　in　Langley；　Virginia。　On　his　left　ear　was　the　secure　telephone　connected　to　Cab