cc.goldenbuddha-第69部分

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e；〃　he　said。　
　〃Excellent；〃　Gurt　noted。　〃I　can　proceed；　then。〃　
　〃Will　there　be　anything　else？〃　Murphy　asked。　
　〃Only　one　more　thing；〃　Gurt　said。　
　〃What's　that？〃　
　〃Keep　your　eyes　ori　the　road；〃　Gurt　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　get　lost。〃　
　〃Not　to　worry；〃　Murphy　said。　〃The　Oregon　is　running　the　　mand　and　control。　This　operation　will　run　like　a　well…oiled　sewing　ma　chine。〃　
　〃I　would　have　felt　better；〃　Gurt　said；　pointing　out　a　herd　of　deer　underneath　that　were　lit　by　the　moon；　〃had　you　said　like　a　puter。〃　
　Murphy　was　staring　at　the　instruments。　〃We're　a　little　hot；〃　he　said。　〃Take　it　down　a　notch。〃　
　Gurt　made　the　adjustment。　They　continued　north。　
　
　AT　ABOUT　THE　same　instant　that　the　Bell　212　carrying　Murphy　and　Gurt　crossed　into　Tibetan　airspace；　Briktin　Gampo　was　steering　the　two…and…a…half…ton　truck　along　a　rutted　dirt　road。　Locating　the　spot　his　Dungkar　cell　leader　had　marked；　he　slowed　and　pulled　to　a　stop。　
　Gampo　was　on　the　flats　just　below　Basatongwula　Shan　in　an　open　meadow　ringed　by　stunted　trees。　Climbing　from　the　truck；　he　walked　around　to　the　rear　and　removed　several　metal　tubes　and　felt　them。　They　were　cold　to　the　touch。　Remembering　what　he　had　been　told；　Gampo　pulled　a　small　fuel　oil　stove　from　the　rear；　moved　a　distance　away；　then　erected　the　legs。　Once　the　stove　was　assembled；　he　removed　some　tent　poles　and　slid　them　inside　an　off…white　canvas　tent　and　hoisted　the　apparatus　into　the　air。　Once　the　tent　was　secure；　he　lit　the　stove；　brought　the　tubes　inside　to　keep　them　warm；　then　went　back　to　the　rear　of　the　truck　and　removed　a　radio；　a　folding　chair　and　a　fur　to　cover　himself　while　he　waited。　
　Then　he　switched　on　the　radio　and　began　to　listen。　
　Outside　the　tent；　thousands　of　stars　flickered　against　the　black　sea　of　deep　space。　A　cold　wind　blew　down　from　the　mountain。　Gampo　pulled　the　fur　closer　around　his　neck　until　the　tent　warmed。　Then　he　patiently　waited　for　the　hours　to　pass。　
　
　ON　THE　OREGON；　Hanley　was　staring　at　the　wall　of　flat…screen　monitors。　Suddenly；　the　satellite　feed　of　the　Russian　troop　concentration　near　Novosibirsk　began　to　display　a　thermal　image　of　tanks　being　started。　At　the　same　instant；　the　secure　telephone　began　to　ring。
　〃We're　a　go；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃I　have　confirmation　over　the　satellite；〃　Hanley　told　him。　〃The　Russian　tanks　are　warming。〃　
　〃Link　my　puter　to　the　Oregon's　data　banks；〃　Cabrillo　ordered。　〃I　want　to　monitor　the　situation　from　here　until　I　arrive。〃　
　Hanley　nodded　to　Stone；　who　typed　in　mands　on　his　puter　keyboard。　
　〃Signal's　going　out；〃　Stone　said　a　minute　later。　
　In　the　Gulfstream　G550；　Cabrillo　stared　at　his　laptop。　Suddenly　the　screen　erupted　with　a　burst　of　light；　then　went　dark；　then　slowly　began　to　glow　again。　The　screen　split　into　six　separate　blocks；　each　duplicating　what　Hanley　was　seeing。　
　〃I've　got　it；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Mr。　Chairman；〃　Hanley　said；　〃call　the　ball。〃　
　〃Proceed　as　planned；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃and　link　me　up　with　Seng。〃　
　〃You　got　it；〃　Hanley　said。　
　
　EDDIE　SENG　WAS　pacing　back　and　forth　inside　the　hangar　in　Thimbu；　Bhutan。　Occasionally　he　would　return　to　the　table　where　the　puter　screen　showed　the　pulsing　red　dot　that　marked　the　progress　of　the　helicopter　carrying　Murphy　and　Gurt。　Then　he　would　walk　around　the　hangar　again　like　a　caged　lion。　
　He　answered　his　telephone　before　the　second　ring。　〃Eddie；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃we're　a　go。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Seng　said。　〃We　have　a　team　already　flying　northI　took　the　liberty；　knowing　we　could　call　them　back　if　necessary。〃
　〃Good　job；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Max？〃
　〃I'm　on　the　three…way；〃　Hanley　said　from　the　Oregon。　〃Send　Seng　the　latest　data　showing　the　airport　near　Lhasa。〃
　〃It's　being　transmitted　now。〃　
　Seng　walked　over　to　the　printer。　A　few　seconds　later；　it　began　to　spit　out　documents。　　
　〃It's　ing　across　now；〃　Seng　noted。　
　〃Okay；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃you　have　your　playbook　and　the　latest　intelligence。　〃　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Seng　said。　
　〃Now　go　take　Gonggar　Airport；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃You　got　it；　boss；〃　Seng　said　eagerly。　
　
　FIVE　A。M。　THE　early…morning　hours　when　drunks　sweat　and　nightmares　grow　ugly。　
　A　cold　wind　was　blowing　across　the　runway　at　Gonggar　Airport；　located　fifty…nine　miles　from　Lhasa。　A　pair　of　Chinese　transport　planes　sat　on　the　far　end　of　the　runway　along　with　three　helicopters。　The　other　Chinese　aircraft　inside　Tibet　had　been　called　north　in　support　of　the　tank　column。　
　Gonggar　Airport　was　as　deserted　as　a　cemetery　on　a　weekday。　
　A　single　janitor　swept　the　chipped　concrete　floor　in　the　crude　main　terminal。　Taking　a　break　to　smoke　a　hand…rolled　cigarette；　he　stepped　outside　and　stood　where　a　wall　shielded　him　from　the　wind。　The　limited　troops　on　duty　at　the　airport　were　sleeping。　They　were　not　due　to　rise　for　another　hour。　
　A　sound　came　up　the　valley。　It　was　a　whoosh；　like　a　well…thrown　football。　Then　a　stark　white…colored　craft　raced　past　at　thirty　feet　above　the　tarmac。　The　strange　object　sped　to　the　end　of　the　airport；　then　made　an　arcing　turn　and　lined　up　for　a　pass。　Suddenly；　twin　streams　of　fire　erupted　from　the　sides　and　a　pair　of　missiles　streaked　toward　the　parked　transport　planes。　
　The　Predator　had　found　her　prey。　
　IN　THE　HANGAR　in　Bhutan；　Lincoln　stared　at　the　image　from　the　Predator's　onboard　cameras。　Steering　the　Predator　into　another　arcing　turn；　he　lined　up　in　front　of　the　helicopters　and　flicked　the　trigger。　Then　he　made　another　turn　to　see　the　results。　
　The　cargo　planes　were　ablaze。　The　helicopters　would　join　them　in　a　second。　
　At　the　same　instant；　160　yards　from　the　edge　of　the　field；　nearly　one　hundred　Dungkar　troops　slid　out　from　under　white　tarps　that　blended　with　the　snow　on　the　ground。　Screaming　a　war　cry；　they　raced　toward　the　terminal。　Dressed　in　black　robes　with　ceremonial　knives　in　their　belts　and　handguns　and　rifles　that　had　been　smuggled　into　the　country　only　days　before；　they　swarmed　like　locusts　into　predetermined　positions。　》From　the　south　came　the　thumping　sound　of　seven　helicopters　approaching。　As　the　helicopter　carrying　Seng　popped　up　to　the　plateau；　he　could　see　the　fires　from　the　Predator's　attack　burning　bright　in　the　early　morning。　
　Then；　as　if　a　divine　light　was　making　its　way　to　earth；　a　series　of　red　light　sticks　began　to　flicker　on　the　tarmac。　The　Dungkar　were　sending　the　message　it　was　safe　to　land。　
　〃Land　inside　the　box；〃　Seng　said　to　the　pilot。　
　〃Will　do；〃　the　pilot　said；　starting　his　descent。　
　Seconds　after　the　helicopter　landed；　Seng　climbed　from　the　front　while　King　made　his　way　from　the　rear。　Seng　quickly　walked　to　the　terminal；　where　he　met　up　with　the　leader　of　the　Dungkar。　At　the　same　time；　King　motioned　to　the　troops　for　help；　and　then　began　to　unload　crates　of　rifles　and　ammunition　from　the　cargo　area。　
　〃What　have　you　got？〃　Seng　asked　the　man；　who　was　no　more　than　thirty。　
　〃The　hangars　over　there；〃　the　man　said；　pointing；　〃contain　one　fighter　plane；　one　cargo　plane　and　a　pair　of　attack　helicopters。　The　hangar　next　door　must　be　for　repairsthere　is　a　helicopter　disassembled　and　the　fuselage　of　an　observation　plane　with　the　engine　removed。〃　
　Cabrillo　had　asked　the　Dalai　Lama　to　make　sure　the　Dungkar　officers　he　picked　were　able　to　speak　English。　There　was　no　time　for　his　team　to　learn　Tibetan　and　less　time　for　misunderstanding。　
　〃Where　did　you　go　to　school？〃　Seng　asked。　
　〃Arizona　State；　sir；〃　the　man　said　eagerly。　〃Go；　Sun　Devils。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Seng　said。　〃I'm　sure　you're　glad　to　be　homenow；　let's　see　if　we　can　keep　it　that　way。　First；　I　want　a　couple　of　your　men　to　work　with　the　guy　ing　in　on　that　helicopter。〃　He　pointed　to　another　Bell；　just　touching　down　twenty　yards　away。　〃We　need　to　rig　these　buildings　with　charges　to　burn　them　if　necessary。〃　
　〃I'll　put　a　dozen　of　my　best　men　on　it；〃　the　man　said　eagerly。　
　〃How　many　Chinese　have　you　captured？〃　Seng　asked。　
　〃Less　than　a　dozen；　sir；〃　the　man　said。　〃One　of　mine　deadtwo　of　theirs。〃　
　The　airport　was　a　bedlam　of　activity。　The　fires　burned　at　the　far　end　of　the　field　against　the　tapestry　of　the　early　morning；　and　the　sound　of　the　landing　helicopters　added　a　surreal　element　to　the　quiet　air。　All　at　once；　solitude　had　bee　a　salvo。　
　〃Listen　carefully；〃　Seng　said　to　th