cc.goldenbuddha-第66部分

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　Then　he　smiled。　
　〃You　are　a　good　man；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Langston　told　mebut　I　　needed　to　be　sure　for　myself。〃　
　〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃These　are　the　papers　that　we　recovered　from　inside　the　Buddha；〃　he　said；　handing　them　to　the　Dalai　Lama's　aide。　〃I'll　need　them　transcribed　before　my　meeting　with　the　Russians。〃　
　〃Copy　them　and　translate　them　into　English；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　ordered　his　aide。　〃Mr。　Cabrillo　will　need　to　leave　again　shortly。〃　
　The　Dalai　Lama　motioned　to　a　long　couch；　where　Overholt　was　already　seated。　Cabrillo　sat　on　the　end　and　the　Dalai　Lama　slipped　between　the　two　men。　〃So　explain　the　plan；〃　he　said。　
　〃I　believe　the　Russians　will　support　your　bid　to　regain　your　country。　They　will　offer　the　muscle　to　deter　the　Chinese　from　making　an　assault　once　we　gain　control　of　Lhasa；　in　return　for　the　rights　to　develop　what　you　claim　those　documents　represent：　the　vast　oil　reserves　of　the　Himalayas。〃　
　〃Their　location's　known　only　to　us；〃　said　the　Dalai　Lama。　〃In　those　documents。　Soyour　president　got　them　to　the　border　by　offering　them　the　aid　package；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃but　to　fight；　they　need　more。〃　
　〃Exactly；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃And　you？〃　the　Dalai　Lama　asked。　〃Your　pany？　What　were　you　hired　to　do？〃　
　〃We　were　hired　to　steal　the　Golden　Buddha　and　to　pave　the　way　for　your　return。　Once　you　are　back　inside　Tibet；　our　obligation　would；　by　the　contract　wording；　end。〃　
　〃So　I　would　be　lefthow　do　you　say　it？high　and　dry；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said。　
　〃Hard　to　say；〃　Cabrillo　admitted；　〃and　this　has　bothered　me　and　my　associates。〃　
　〃Why？〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said。　〃Are　you　not　mercenaries？　Once　your　obligation　is　over；　don't　you　just　blend　into　the　night？〃　
　Cabrillo　thought　for　a　minute　how　to　answer　this　question。　He　paused　and　thought　as　the　Dalai　Lama　waited。　〃It's　a　little　more　plex　than　that；　Your　Holiness。　If　we　did　what　we　did　just　for　money；　we　would　have　all　retired　by　now。　It's　more　involved　than　that。　In　the　past；　most　of　us　worked　for　one　government　agency　or　another；　and　we　were　pelled　by　Congress；　or　public　opinion；　to　do　things　we　knew　or　felt　were　wrong。　We　don't　do　those　things　anymore。　We　were　formed　to　make　a　profit；　that's　for　sure；　but　as　much　as　we　like　the　money；　we　are　also　cognizant　of　the　chances　that　arise　for　us　to　somehow　right　the　wrongs　of　others。〃　
　〃You　are　speaking　of　Karma；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said。　〃Something　I　am　most　aware　of。〃　
　Cabrillo　nodded。　〃We　have　decided　that　to　leave　you　alone　to　fight　the　Chinese　would　be　wrong。　The　solution　came　to　us　when　we　realized　the　significance　of　the　papers　inside　the　Golden　Buddha。〃　
　〃And　I　assume　your　pany　will　profit　from　such　a　deal？〃　the　Dalai　Lama　asked。　
　〃Is　that　bad？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃Not　necessarily；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃but　explain　more。〃　
　
　Ten　minutes　later；　Cabrillo　was　finished。　
　〃I'm　impressed；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃now　let　me　explain　mine。〃　Another　five　minutes　passed　as　the　Dalai　Lama　spoke。　〃Brilliant；〃　Cabrillo　said　when　the　Dalai　Lama　had　finished。　〃Thank　you；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃but　to　sway　the　vote　will　take　
　fundswill　you　bear　the　cost？〃　
　〃We　made　a　little　money　on　a　side　deal；〃　Cabrillo　said；　thinking　of　the　100　million　in　bearer　bonds。　〃So　the　costs　are　not　a　problem。〃　
　Overholt　had　remained　silent　as　the　two　spoke。　Now　he　interjected。　〃If　you　can　pull　this　off；〃　he　said　eagerly；　〃the　president　will　kiss　you。〃
　〃Mr。　Cabrillo；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said；　〃this　gives　us　both　an　opportunity　to　keep　the　bloodshed　down；　while　at　the　same　time　offering　our　actions　a　legitimacy　that　is　indisputable。　If　you　can　make　this　happen；　I　will　agree　to　your　deal　as　offered。〃　
　〃Thank　you；　Your　Holiness；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Good　luck；　Mr。　Cabrillo；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said。　〃May　Buddha　bless　your　mission。〃　
　After　a　short　meeting　with　Overholt；　Cabrillo　collected　the　translated　pages　and　maps；　then　climbed　back　in　the　helicopter　and　was　flown　back　to　Amritsar。　President　Putin　had　been　promised　the　meeting　would　be　worth　the　effort。　Cabrillo　would　not　fail　to　deliver。　
　
　JUST　AFTER　MIDNIGHT；　the　C…130　carrying　the　members　from　the　Corporation　landed　in　Thimbu；　Bhutan；　and　the　plane　was　surrounded　by　a　dozen　Philippine　Special　Forces　soldiers。　Off　to　the　side；　the　eight　Bell　212　helicopters　were　aligned　in　a　row；　with　ten　feet　separating　each　ship。　
　A　large　domed　hangar　was　nearby；　with　the　door　open　and　light　spilling　out　onto　the　runway。　Carl　Gannon　walked　from　inside　and　extended　his　hand　to　Eddie　Seng。　〃They　tell　me　you're　in　charge　until　the　chairman　arrives；〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　show　you　around。〃　
　The　others　followed　Seng　and　Gannon　inside　the　hangar。　〃I've　man　aged　to　scrounge　up　radios　and　have　established　a　link　with　the　Oregon；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　a　wooden　table　with　a　puter　and　a　stack　of　papers。　〃The　latest　data　is　on　top。〃　
　Alongside　the　table　were　several　corkboards　displaying　maps　of　Tibet；　satellite　weather　images　and　other　documents。　A　chalkboard　was　erected　on　an　easel；　where　Seng　could　make　notes　and　draw　the　plans；　as　well　as　a　large　plastic…covered　map　showing　the　city　of　Lhasa　that　was　taped　to　a　piece　of　plywood　and　sat　atop　another　table。　
　Off　to　the　side；　milling　around　an　area　with　a　large　coffeepot；　small　refrigerator；　and　cardboard　boxes　containing　food；　were　the　eighteen　mercenary　pilots。　Murphy　made　his　way　to　the　coffee；　poured　a　cup　and　greeted　an　old　friend。　〃Gurt；〃　he　said；　〃you　old　dog。〃　
　Gurt；　a　mid…fifties　blond…haired　man　with　a　crew　cut　and　a　gold　tooth　in　front；　smiled。　
　〃Murphy；〃　he　said；　flashing　the　tooth；　〃I　thought　this　might　be　something　you'd　be　involved　in。　It　had　the　smell　of　a　Corporation　operation。〃　
　The　men　continued　visiting　while　Seng　flipped　through　the　information　Gannon　had　amassed。　Five　minutes　later；　he　called　everyone　to　sit　in　the　rows　of　folding　wooden　chairs　arranged　in　front　of　the　boards。　The　pilots　ambled　over　and　took　seats　behind　the　Corporation　crew。　Seng　glanced　at　the　assembled　group　before　speaking。　
　〃For　those　of　you　who　don't　know　me；〃　he　said　easily；　〃my　name　is　Eddie；　Seng。　Please　call　me　Seng　and　not　Eddie　so　there　is　no　confusion。　I　will　be　mander　in　charge　of　this　operation　until　the　time　that　our　chairman；　Juan　Cabrillo；　arrives　in　the　theater。〃　
　The　group　nodded。　
　〃The　breakdown　of　flight　operation　will　be　as　follows。　Six　of　the　helicopters　will　be　tasked　with　offensive　operations；　one　for　the　chairman　when　he　arrives；　one　for　medical。　We　will　draw　the　assignments　out　of　a　hat　on　who　is　assigned　to　what；　to　be　fair。　Each　of　the　helicopters　will　carry　one　member　of　our　team；　and　the　pilots　will　be　required　to　fly　this　person　anywhere　he　requests。　Gentlemen；　we　will　potentially　be　under　fire　and　in　harm's　way　for　the　next　twenty…four　to　forty…eight　hours。　If　this　is　not　what　you　signed　up　for；　let　me　know　now　so　you　can　be　replaced。　If　not；　I　want　you　to　understand　that　as　pilots　you　will　be　answering　to　the　team　member　aboard。　If　you　hesitate　or　refuse　to　ply　with　a　request；　you　will　be　replaced　by　one　of　our　team　that　is　qualified　in　helicopter　operations；　and　you　will　forfeit　your　second　half　payment。　Any　questions？〃　
　Gurt　raised　his　hand。　〃When　do　we　receive　our　first　half？〃　　〃Ah　。。。　a　real　pilot；〃　Seng　said；　〃The　answer　is；　as　soon　as　we　are　finished　here。　Everyone　okay　with　that？〃　
　Heads　nodded。　
　〃If　you　have　personal　property　or　letters　to　loved　ones　or　wish　us　to　transfer　the　funds　to　another　party　if　something　happens　to　you；〃　Seng　noted；　〃please　see　either　Gannon　or　Crabtree。〃　
　Gannon　and　Crabtree　raised　their　hands。　
　〃Now；　are　there　any　other　business　matters　before　I　explain　the　operation？〃　
　The　hangar　was　silent。　
　〃Good；　then；〃　Seng　said。　〃Here's　the　plan。〃　
　
　THE　GULFSTREAM　G550　was　at　forty…one　thousand　feet　racing　toward　Moscow　as　Cabrillo　talked　over　a　secure　satellite　telephone　to　the　Oregon。　〃Go　over　them　again；〃　he　said　as　he　scrawled　notes　on　a　yellow　pad。　〃Okay；　I've　got　them。〃　
　The　line　was　silent　as　Cabrillo　studied　the　list。　
　〃And　Halpert　set　up　the　main　corporate　entity　in　Andorra。〃　
　〃Correct；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃Lucky　break；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃but　then；　by　looking　at　this　list；　the　Dalai　Lama　is　a　lucky　one　too。　If　this　had