cc.goldenbuddha-第78部分

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　THE　OREGON　WAS　surging　into　the　Bay　of　Bengal　in　preparation　for　the　team's　extraction。　Word　of　the　street　fighting　in　Lhasa　had　reached　the　news　media。　Television　crews；　newspaper　and　magazine　reporters；　and　radio　teams　were　making　final　preparations　to　enter　the　country。　To　maintain　the　veil　of　secrecy　necessary　for　the　Corporation　to　conduct　business；　they　needed　to　be　away　from　Tibet　before　the　reporters　appeared。　
　So　far　the　plan　had　worked　like　clockwork；　but　there　was　still　a　wild　card　to　contend　with。　
　The　Russian　ruse　had　successfully　tied　up　the　Chinese　army　far　to　the　north；　but　the　risk　now　was　from　the　Chinese　air　force。　If　Beijing　ordered　squadrons　of　bombers　and　fighter　planes　to　attack　the　country；　the　results　would　be　catastrophic。　The　Dungkar　forces　had　limited　means　to　wage　ground…to…air　warfare。　Carpet　bombing　of　Lhasa　would　result　in　heavy　losses。　
　Gurt　was　steering　the　Bell　212　above　a　mountain　plain　with　jagged　peaks　to　each　side。　Several　miles　in　the　distance；　the　rescue　helicopter　was　visible　on　the　ground。　As　Murphy　watched　through　his　binoculars；　the　rotor　blade　started　to　spin；　then　gain　speed　until　it　was　just　a　blur。　
　〃Rescue　One；〃　the　radio　squawked。　〃We　have　visual　and　will　follow　along。〃　
　Murphy　watched　as　the　helicopter　lifted　into　a　high　hover；　then　slowly　began　to　move　forward。　Passing　to　one　side；　Murphy　craned　his　head　to　the　rear　and　confirmed　they　were　in　formation　behind　and　to　one　side。　
　〃How　are　you　feeling？〃　he　said　over　the　inter　to　Gurt。　
　〃My　shoulder　feels　like　I've　been　kicked　by　a　mule；〃　he　noted；　〃but　all　in　all；　I'm　not　doing　too　bad。〃　
　〃I'd　like　to　know　what　Gampo　gave　you；〃　Murphy　said。　
　〃Some　ancient　Tibetan　potion；〃　Gurt　said；　staring　at　the　gauges。　〃I　just　hope　it　lasts。〃　
　〃I　spoke　to　the　Oregon；〃　Murphy　said。　〃One　of　the　backup　pilots　will　fly　you　back　to　Bhutan。〃　
　〃Heck　of　a　deal；〃　Gurt　said。　〃I　thought　I　was　a　goner。〃
　〃Me　too；　old　buddy；〃　Murphy　said　quietly。　〃Me　too。〃　
　
　FOR　THE　CHINESE；　the　battle　for　Lhasa　was　all　but　over。　They　had　lost　the　initiative　when　King　stopped　the　movement　of　the　armored　column。　From　that　point　on；　the　Dungkar　forces　had　been　seized　by　a　rage　that　showed　no　boundaries。　
　Teams　under　the　leadership　of　General　Rimpoche　had　spread　out　through　Lhasa；　rounding　up　Chinese　troops　in　their　barracks　and　elsewhere。　The　war　for　the　motor　pool　was　bloody；　but　after　forty　minutes　of　fierce　fighting；　the　Dungkar　had　taken　control。　
　〃This　was　all　the　red　paint　available　in　town；〃　a　Dungkar　warrior　said　as　he　slid　to　a　stop　inside　the　fenced　yard　of　the　motor　pool。　
　General　Rimpoche　was　sitting　in　the　passenger　seat　of　a　Chinese　jeep　with　a　bloody　bandage　wrapped　around　his　lower　leg。　A　red…hot　chunk　of　shrapnel　from　a　fragmentary　grenade　had　hit　him　as　he　was　leading　the　last　charge　in　the　battle。　
　〃Mark　the　captured　armored　personnel　carriers　and　the　three　remaining　tanks　with　the　Dalai　Lama's　symbol；〃　he　said；　coughing；　〃then　alert　our　forces　that　these　vehicles　are　under　our　control。〃　
　The　man　scurried　off　to　fulfill　the　request　while　at　the　same　time　his　aide　approached。　
　〃I've　found　a　dozen　men　with　at　least　basic　knowledge　of　how　to　drive；〃　the　aide　said。　〃We　can　have　the　vehicles　on　the　streets　of　the　city　as　soon　as　they　are　painted。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Rimpoche　said。　〃We　need　to　show　we're　in　control。〃　
　Right　at　that　instant；　he　heard　a　helicopter　approaching　from　Gong…gar。　He　watched　as　it　passed　overhead　and　headed　for　Potala。　
　
　DETECTIVE　PO　AND　his　Tibetan　underlings　had　just　escaped　a　mob　of　Tibetans　intent　on　capturing　them。　Po　was　now　on　the　out　skirts　of　Lhasa　at　the　east　end　of　the　city。　More　and　more　he　was　considering　his　mission　a　failure。　Either　there　was　no　one　answering　the　description　of　the　people　he　sought；　or　the　Tibetans　he　and　his　men　had　questioned　were　lying。　But　the　situation　went　deeper　than　that。　In　the　last　half　hour；　Po　had　felt　the　tide　turn。　
　More　and　more　he　was　feeling　like　the　hunted；　not　the　hunter。　
　His　last　call　to　the　Public　Security　Bureau　had　gone　unanswered；　and　although　it　might　be　a　figment　of　his　imagination；　he　was　thinking　the　Tibetans　assigned　to　help　him　had　begun　eyeing　him　differently。　
　Right　then；　a　helicopter　flew　overhead　and　slowed　to　touch　down　on　the　flats　below　Potala。　
　〃Stop　the　truck；〃　Po　ordered。　
　The　driver　slowed　and　stopped。　The　helicopter　was　only　two　hundred　yards　away　and　the　skids　had　just　touched　the　ground。　Straining　to　watch　with　his　binoculars；　Po　waited　until　the　dust　from　the　rotor　wash　had　cleared　and　the　occupants　climbed　out。　The　leader　of　the　group　was　wearing　a　helmet；　and　he　was　pointing　out　a　spot　on　the　palace　grounds　to　the　other　men　who　had　climbed　out。　At　that　instant；　Po　saw　the　man　remove　a　portable　telephone　from　his　belt。　Then　he　removed　the　helmet　to　hear。　
　Po　stared　through　the　binoculars。　The　man's　hair　was　worn　in　a　short　blond　crew　cut；　but　his　face　was　familiar。　Po　watched。　
　YOU'RE　SURE；　MAX？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　〃I　just　received　confirmation；〃　said　Hanley；　a　thousand　miles　away　on　the　Oregon；　
　〃Good；　I'm　going　in；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃The　media　is　on　their　way；〃　Hanley　said；　〃and　the　Dalai　Lama　has　already　left　India。　Both　are　due　to　arrive　in　Lhasa　in　just　over　an　hour。　We　need　you　all　out　of　there　posthaste。　I've　dispatched　the　C…130　from　Thimbu；　and　Seng　is　rounding　everyone　up。　Just　get　this　doneand　get　out　of　there。〃　
　〃All　I　can　say　is　that　you'd　better　have　some　beer　on　board　that　plane；〃　Cabrillo　said；　laughing。　〃Bet　on　it；〃　Hanley　said。　
　
　THE　SMILE。　THE　smile　was　the　same　as　that　of　the　man　on　the　tape。　Po　slid　the　binoculars　back　in　the　case　and　turned　to　the　driver。　〃To　Potala。〃　
　
　FLY　THE　CARGO　to　that　level　and　unload　it；〃　Cabrillo　said；　pointing　to　a　stark　white　center　section　of　the　palace；　〃then　start　searching。　I'll　meet　you　on　the　courtyard　that　abuts　the　taller　section。〃　
　The　Dungkar　in　charge　of　the　detail　nodded。　
　〃I'm　going　to　take　the　stair　and　search　the　lower　levels；〃　Cabrillo　said；　removing　a　small　portable　oxygen　tank　from　inside　the　helicopter　and　strapping　it　on　his　back。　He　attached　a　nose　clip；　turned　on　the　flow　of　oxygen；　then　started　up　the　stairs。　
　A　few　minutes　later；　the　helicopter　lifted　off　the　flats　and　dropped　off　the　Dungkar　and　cargo。　Four　minutes　later；　the　truck　carrying　Po　and　the　Public　Security　Bureau　members　slid　to　a　stop　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs。　Po　unholstered　his　pistol　and；　followed　by　the　others；　started　up　the　stairs。　Cabrillo　disappeared　out　of　sight　in　the　first　structure　bordering　the　stairs。　
　The　helicopter；　now　empty；　parked　on　the　flats　near　the　truck。　
　The　pilot　noticed　the　truck　and　radioed　the　Oregon。　
　〃It　has　markings　from　the　Public　Security　Bureau；〃　he　said。　
　〃I'll　call　Cabrillo；〃　Hanley　said；　〃but　I　wouldn't　worry　about　it　right　now。　We're　receiving　sporadic　radar　returns　here。　We　have　yet　to　determine　the　source。　Watch　overhead。〃　
　
　GEORGE　ADAMS　HAD　stopped　and　refueled　the　Chinese　attack　helicopter　twice。　Chuck　Gunderson　still　had　half　a　tank。　For　the　most　part；　their　mission　so　far　had　been　quiet。　Gunderson　had　been　called　in　to　monitor　the　fighting　at　the　motor　pool；　but　the　Dungkar　had　gained　control　fast　enough　that　they　never　needed　his　makeshift　gunship。　Adams　had　yet　to　locate　a　clear　target　to　fire　upon。　In　the　last　twenty　minutes；　the　situation　had　changedother　than　a　few　pockets　of　small…arms　fire　in　the　city；　it　appeared　that　Lhasa　was　now　firmly　under　Dungkar　control。　Both　men　could　see　the　transformation　clearly　from　the　airthe　war　was　almost　over。　
　〃Gorgeous　George；　this　is　Tiny；〃　Gunderson　said　over　the　radio。　〃Hey；　Chuckie；〃　George　said；　〃you　as　bored　as　I　am？〃
　〃I'm　telling　you〃　Gunderson　started　to　say。　〃This　is　Climber　One；〃　Murphy　said。　〃A　trio；　meaning　three；　Chinese　fighters　just　blew　past　me　and　Rescue　One。　We　are　fifty　miles　out　of　Lhasa　inbound　for　Gonggar。〃　
　〃All　Corporation　members；　this　is　the　Oregon；〃　Hanley　said。　〃We　have　detected　three　Chinese　fighters　inbound　from　the　northern　theater。　Assume　them　as　unfriendly。　Prepare　to　take　cover。　All　offensive　forces　report　in　now。〃　
　〃Predator；　ready；〃　Lincoln　said　from　his　remote　stati