cc.goldenbuddha-第60部分

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　A　few　seconds　passed　before　an　answer　came。　〃This　is　control；　go　ahead。〃　
　〃The　ladies　and　I；〃　Tiny　said；　〃will　be　there　in　a　few　minutes　to　hook　you　on　board。〃　
　〃We　have　you　on　the　scope；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃You　should　be　seeing　us　shortly。〃　
　〃What's　the　drill？〃　Gunderson　asked。　
　〃You'll　have　two　yanks；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃The　first　is　the　object　remember　it's　heavy。〃　
　〃We　have　a　cargo　slide　with　a　belt；　but　the　door　to　this　old　bird　is　on　the　side；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃My　plan　was　to　winch　whatever　we　were　taking　aboard　close；　then　do　some　fancy　flying　to　get　the　load　aboard。〃　
　Back　on　the　Oregon；　Cabrillo　shook　his　head　in　amazement。　〃Don't　try　that　on　the　second　load。〃
　〃Why's　that；　boss？〃
　〃Because　the　second　load　is　me。〃　
　Michaels　was　staring　out　the　window。　A　speck　that　was　the　Oregon　came　into　view。　
　〃I　have　a　visual；〃　she　said。　
　〃We　have　you　in　sight；〃　Gunderson　said；　〃and　we'll　take　it　easy　bringing　you　aboard；　Mr。　Chairman；　don't　you　worry。〃　
　〃I'm　going　topside　to　strap　up；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Is　there　anything　else　you　need？〃　
　Gunderson　looked　at　Pilston　and　Michaels；　who　shook　their　heads　no。　
　〃Maybe　just　some　ham…and…cheese　sandwiches；〃　Gunderson　said。　
　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　do；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃We're　descending　now；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃See　you　in　a　few。〃　
　
　CABRILLO　OPENED　THE　door　and　walked　into　the　Magic　Shop。　Nixon　had　the　Golden　Buddha　on　a　small　table　and　was　waving　a　small　electronic　radar　device　across　the　belly。　He　stared　at　a　monitor　and　shook　his　head。　
　〃There's　a　space　there；　boss；〃　Nixon　said　to　Cabrillo；　〃but　I'll　be　damned　if　I　can　figure　out　the　access。〃　
　Cabrillo　stood　thinking　for　a　moment；　then　turned　to　Nixon。　〃Hand　me　a　heat　gun；〃　he　said。　
　Nixon　walked　over　to　the　tool　bench　and　removed　a　heat　gun　from　a　peg；　attached　an　extension　cord；　then　dragged　it　over　to　the　Golden　Buddha。　Cabrillo　flicked　the　switch　on　and　started　to　heat　the　Buddha's　belly。　
　〃What　are　you　thinking；　boss？〃　Nixon　asked　over　the　roar　of　the　heat　gun。　
　〃People　always　want　to　rub　Buddha's　belly　for　good　luck；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Rub　something　enough　and　you　make　heat。〃　
　Nixon　reached　over　and　touched　the　golden　belly。　It　was　being　warm；　like　human　skin。　
　Cabrillo　stared　at　the　icon；　then　turned　to　Nixon。　〃Get　me　a　single…edge　razor　blade；〃　he　said。　
　Nixon　walked　to　the　workbench；　found　a　box　of　razor　blades；　grabbed　them；　then　walked　back；　peeling　the　paper　off　one　of　the　blades。　〃There；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃There's　a　crack　forming。〃　Nixon　slid　the　blade　into　the　tiny　gap。　
　〃Slide　in　another；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃and　begin　to　wedge　off　the　belly　plate。〃　
　Minutes　passed　as　the　gap　widened。　As　it　did；　Cabrillo　diverted　the　heat　under　the　plate；　which　heated　the　glue　applied　centuries　before。　At　last　the　crack　was　large　enough　that　a　hand　could　fit　inside。　Cabrillo　handed　Nixon　the　heat　gun；　slid　his　fingers　inside　the　crack；　then　gently　pried　back　the　plate　while　Nixon　continued　heating　the　yak's…hoof　glue。　Slowly　the　plate　peeled　back。　Then；　all　at　once；　it　came　off　in　Cabrillo　's　hand。　
　He　stared　through　the　opening　into　an　inner　partment。　Inside　lay　ancient　parchments　rolled　into　a　tube　and　secured　witn　a　deposing　strip　of　rawhide。　Cabrillo　reached　in　and　carefully　removed　the　bundle。　
　Nixon　looked　at　Cabrillo　and　smiled。　〃What　now；　boss？〃
　〃We　copy　them；〃　Cabrillo　said　quietly；　〃and　put　them　back。〃　
　
　SUNG　RHEE　WAS　in　the　center　of　a　maelstrom　of　angry　people。　The　admiral　from　the　Chinese　navy　had　called　Beijing　to　report　the　damage　to　his　ships；　the　two　billionaires　had　both　returned　with　teams　of　attorneys；　and　his　assistant　had　just　called　to　report　that　the　mayor　of　Macau　was　downstairs　and　on　his　way　up。　And　then　his　telephone　rang。　
　〃I　told　you；〃　he　told　his　receptionist；　〃no　interruptions。〃
　〃President　Hu　Jintao's　office　is　calling。〃　
　〃Put　him　through；〃　Rhee　said；　motioning　with　his　hand　to　clear　his　office。　〃Put　him　through。〃　
　A　few　seconds　later；　a　voice　said；　〃President　Jintao　is　on　the　line。〃
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　President；〃　Rhee　said。　
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Rhee；〃　Jintao　said　quietly。　〃I　understand　you　had　a　bit　of　trouble　last　night。〃　
　Rhee　began　to　sweat。　〃A　。。。　a　minor　theft；〃　he　stammered。　〃Nothing　we　can't　handle；　Mr。　President。〃　
　〃Mr。　Rhee。　We've　received　calls　this　morning　from　the　United　States　embassy；　the　head　of　the　Chinese　navy；　and　the　vice　president　of　Greece　wanting　to　know　why　one　of　his　ships　was　illegally　stopped　and　boarded　on　your　orders。　That　does　not　sound　like　a　minor　theft　to　me。〃
　〃There　。　。　。　has　been　some　trouble　here；〃　Rhee　admitted。　The　telephone　was　silent　for　a　few　seconds。　〃Mr。　Rhee；〃　Jintao　said　coldly；　〃I　want　you　to　tell　me　everything　that　happened。　Right　now；　from　the　start。〃　
　Slowly；　Rhee　began　speaking。　
　
　GUNDERSON　STARTED　A　long　lumbering　turn　around　the　Oregon。　As　he　stared　out　the　cockpit　window；　he　could　see　a　large　balloon　do　a　fast　inflate；　then　head　up　in　the　air；　towing　a　line。　
　On　the　stern　deck　of　the　Oregon；　Kevin　Nixon　checked　the　straps　around　the　crate　containing　the　Golden　Buddha　again。　The　three…pronged　hook　was　duct…taped　to　the　crate　and　would　be　used　to　yank　Cabrillo　aboard　if　they　were　successful　getting　the　icon　aboard　the　An…tonov。　Hanley　stood　off　to　the　side；　checking　the　fit　on　the　harness　that　wrapped　around　Cabrillo's　chest　and　upper　thighs。　Satisfied　it　was　properly　attached；　he　snapped　a　smaller　bag　containing　the　sandwiches　to　one　side　of　the　harness。　
　〃The　old　Fulton　Recovery　System；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃You'd　think　with　all　our　funds　we'd　have　found　a　replacement　by　now。〃　
　〃It's　so　rare　we're　this　far　offshore；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Past　the　point　our　amphibian　or　a　helicopter　can　reach　us。〃　
　〃You　ever　ridden　one　of　these？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　〃Never　had　the　pleasure；〃　Hanley　said；　smiling。　〃It　feels　like　a　mule　kicked　you　in　the　ass；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃That's　the　least　of　your　worries；　the　way　I　see　it。〃
　〃How　do　you　figure？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃The　only　winch　we　could　find　was　designed　for　light　trucks；〃　Hanley　noted。　〃I　just　hope　they　can　reel　you　in　fast　enough　before　you　strike　the　rear　stabilizer。〃　
　〃You　make　it　all　sound　so　appealing；〃　Cabrillo　said　wryly。　
　The　sound　of　the　Antonov　was　growing　louder。　
　〃Clear　the　decks；〃　Nixon　shouted；　〃for　the　first　approach。〃　
　
　GUNDERSON　WAS　NOTED　for　never　being　flustered。　No　matter　what　the　situation；　he　always　maintained　his　cool。　Lowering　the　flaps　on　the　Antonov；　he　slowed　the　speed　to　just　above　jtall；　then　lined　up　less　than　a　hundred　feet　above　the　deck。　〃Anybody　got　any　gum？〃　he　asked。　
　Michaels　quickly　peeled　the　foil　off　a　piece　and　jammed　it　in　his　mouth。　
　〃Head　back　to　help　Tracy；〃　Gunderson　said。　〃I'll　hook　the　fatso　on　the　first　pass；　then　I'll　shout　back　before　I　roll　her　over。〃　
　Inside　the　Oregon；　the　cameras　on　the　deck　relayed　an　image　of　the　operation　throughout　the　ship。　Everyone　watched　as　Gunderson　steered　closer。　
　In　the　cargo　partment；　Pilston　and　Michaels　were　watching　out　the　open　door。　The　steel　cable　stretched　backward；　but　the　hook　on　the　end　was　out　of　view。　Gunderson　was　peering　out　the　front　window；　then　the　side　window；　in　a　rapid　ballet　of　visual　Olympics。　At　the　top　of　the　cable　leading　to　the　Fulton　Aerial　Recovery　System；　just　below　the　balloon；　the　cable　spread　into　a　Y　shape。　Gunderson　chomped　on　the　gum　as　he　steered　the　Antonov　closer。　
　〃It's　show　time；〃　he　shouted。　
　The　hook　dangling　back　from　the　plane　slid　cleanly　into　the　Y　and　snagged　the　cable。　A　split　second　later　the　crate　containing　the　Golden　Buddha　was　yanked　from　the　deck　as　cleanly　as　ripping　a　bandage　off　a　wound。　Gunderson　instantly　felt　the　drag　on　the　plane　and　shouted　for　Pilston　to　engage　the　winch。　
　She　threw　the　lever　forward　and　the　package　started　to　reel　aboard；　while　at　the　same　time　Gunderson　eased　the　biplane　over　on　her　side。　Hanley　watched　from　the　deck　in　amazement。　
　〃Tell　me　when　the　load's　within　ten　feet；〃　Gunderson　shouted。　
　A　minute　or　so　later；　Michaels　shouted；　〃Okay；　Chuck。〃　
　Gunderson　did　a　quick　sideways　dive　to　the　ocean；　now　only　some　eighty　feet　away；　and　the　crate　went　temporarily　weightless　from　the　g　forces。　The　crate　floated　in