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cc.goldenbuddha-第80部分

小说: cc.goldenbuddha 字数: 每页4000字

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 Cabrillo began walking toward the door。 
 〃Sir?〃 Norquay said; 〃there's just one more thing。〃 
 Cabrillo paused。 
 〃What do you want us to do with him?〃 Norquay said; motioning to Po。 
 Cabrillo smiled。 〃Let him go。〃 
 Cabrillo reached for the door handle。 〃But take his uniform and papers。 He's just too emotional to be a policeman。〃 
 Then Cabrillo walked out the door; climbed down the steps and boarded the helicopter。 Five minutes later he was back at Gonggar Airport。 Ten minutes later he and his team were airborne in the C…130。 They passed the fleet of leased helicopters in the air; headed for Bhutan; and the pilot of the C…130 wagged his wings。 The helicopters returned the good…bye by flicking on their landing lights。 
 Then the team settled in for the short flight。 Soon they'd be back on the Oregon。 
 
 IN BEIJING; NEWS of the events in Tibet was filtering in; and a hurried meeting was held。 
 President Jintao was direct。 〃What are our options?〃 he asked。 
 〃We could send bombers to hit Lhasa;〃 the head of the Chinese air force said。 〃Then ready paratroopers for a later assault。〃 
 〃But that leaves us short on the Mongolian border;〃 Jintao noted。 〃What's the latest intelligence on the Russian movements?〃 
 The head of Chinese intelligence was a short man with a pronounced belly。 He adjusted his glasses before speaking。 〃The Russian forces are enough for them to sweep down and flank our troops that are currently still headed down the pass into Qinghai Province。 If they supported their efforts with air power; we could lose both Qinghai and Xinjiang Provinces; basically the entire western frontier。〃 
 〃That would give them control of our secret advanced weapons facilities at Lop Nur; plus a good portion of our space program;〃 Jintao said wearily。 
 〃I'm afraid so; sir;〃 the head of intelligence noted。 
 〃Okay〃 Jintao started to say before his aide rushed into the room and walked over and whispered in his ear。 
 〃Gentlemen;〃 President Jintao said; 〃continue discussionsI have an emergency meeting。 The Russian ambassador is insisting we talk and has arrived ahead of his scheduled meeting。〃 
 The Russian ambassador was waiting in an outer office。 He rose as Jintao walked into the room。 〃Mr。 President;〃 he said solicitously; 〃I apologize for moving up the time of our meeting; but the president of my country insisted I see you immediately。〃 
 〃Do you e bringing a declaration of war?〃 Jintao asked directly; motioning the Russian to take a seat on a couch near a window with a view of the outer gardens。 
 The Russian ambassador sat on the left end of the couch; Jintao farther down on the right。 
 〃No; Mr。 President;〃 the Russian ambassador said; straightening his suit pants。 〃I e with a business offer that can put an end to the tension between our countries; as well as placing your economy on solid footing again。〃 
 Jintao stared at his watch before answering。 〃You have five minutes。〃 
 The Russian ambassador explained it all in four。 
 〃So you are convinced you can pull a UN Security Council vote?〃 Jintao said after he was through。 
 〃We can;〃 the Russian said。 
 〃What do we get if we go along with the vote?〃 Jintao asked。 〃If China votes to go along。〃 
 The Russian ambassador smiled。 〃World peace?〃 
 〃I was thinking of a larger percentage of the field。〃 
 Two minutes later; the Russian had his offer。 
 〃Mr。 President;〃 he said; 〃allow me to make a telephone call。〃 
 〃Tell them I want your armored column stopped immediately;〃 Jintao said; 〃confirmed by satellite reconnaissance。〃 
 Eight minutes later; the new percentages would be confirmed and the Russian armored column would grind to a halt。 Further negotiations would continue right up until the UN vote。 
 
 AT THE SAME instant the Russian ambassador was calling Moscow; the C…130 containing the Corporation team was crossing into India。 Off the right wing the jet carrying the Dalai Lama home passed。 The pilot of the jet wagged his wings and the pilot of the C…130 reciprocated。 
 Less than an hour later; the team reached Calcutta; India; and was met by the Corporation's amphibious airplane。 Within minutes of the C…130 touching down; the crew was being flown out to the ship。 
 By sundown on March 31; the Oregon was steaming south in the Bay of Bengal。 
 On the deck; Hanley and Cabrillo watched the setting sun。 
 〃I got a call from Overholt after you left Calcutta;〃 Hanley said。 
 〃I'm sure it was the usual;〃 Cabrillo said。 〃Rah; rah; good job。 The check is in the mail。〃 
 〃He did mention that; and a wire transfer that Halpert has already confirmed。〃 
 〃What else?〃 Cabrillo asked。 
 〃He has another job for us;〃 Hanley said。 
 〃Where?〃 Cabrillo asked。 
 〃The land of the midnight sun; Mr。 Chairman;〃 Hanley said。 〃The Arctic Circle。〃 
 Cabrillo sniffed the salt air; then began walking for the hatch inside。 〃e on; you can explain over dinner。〃 
 〃It had better be dinner and drinks;〃 Hanley said。 〃I haven't had a cocktail since Cuba。〃 
 〃Cuba;〃 Cabrillo said wearily。 〃Seems like years ago。〃 
 
 EPILOGUE 
 THERE EXIST SNIPPETS of history etched into the fabric of time and so perfectly formed that they may never be duplicated。 Seemingly scripted by a power with perfect timing and blessed with scenes that know no bounds; these moments exist to be captured on film; to be remembered and cherished for centuries to e。 
 These snippets do not happen often。 They are as rare as the perfect turn on skis; as delightful as homemade ice cream in the hot sun。 They exist to remind man there is hope。 They exist to show promise。 They exist for generations yet unborn。 
 The Dalai Lama's return to Lhasa was one of these events。 
 April 1; 2005; dawned with clear skies and no wind。 The snowcapped mountains surrounding the city appeared to be close enough that one could run his fingertip across the sharp crests。 The very air in Lhasa seemed alive with energy。 It filled the lungs of the faithful with a hope silent for decades and soothed and cooled the fires of war。 
 〃Unbelievable;〃 a reporter for a Los Angeles newspaper said quietly。 
 It was an image from Shangri…la。 Potala Palace was glistening like a mirage in the mind of a plicated man。 The hillside surrounding the palace was covered with a flowing field of red and blue blooming flowers that spilled down the hill in a waterfall of color。 One thousand Buddhist monks in yellow robes filled the steps from top to bottom like a colored strip of DNA molecules。 On the lower buildings; parts of the green roofs were visible; adding contrast; while the white rocks of the structure seemed to have been scrubbed clean of dirt as a result of the cloak of oppression being lifted。 High overhead a hawk circled lazily on the warming air。 
 The chosen one was ing home。 
 Nearly a mile away; on the large flat meadow below Potala; a monk stepped over to a six…foot…tall gong suspended from a dark; carved wooden frame。 He glanced at the Dalai Lama; who was sitting atop a gold gilded throne chair。 The throne chair was topped with a fringed silk awning; supported by wooden poles at the corners and held aloft by six stout monks who walked in unison with the throne chair。 
 The six monks chanted a single…word chant and the wood…and…leather hammer struck the gong。 
 The sound of the gong filled the air。 One; two; until it sounded three times。 And then the procession started forward。 The Ngagpa; carrying the symbolic wheel of life; led the column。 Directly behind the Ngagpa were Tibetan horsemen; their steeds decorated with ceremonial blankets whose intricate needlepoint depicted scenes from Tibetan history。 The horsemen wove their mounts back and forth in a choreographed display of precision。 In their hands were triangular flags attached to long bronze staffs that were capped with fluted tops。 To the rear of the horsemen were two dozen archers with bows at parade rest against their shoulders。 They marched in perfect harmony。 Next came a dozen porters carrying cages filled with songbirds that chirped a song of freedom and happiness。 The porters were followed by fifty…five monks from the Dalai Lama's home monastery at Namgyal。 They chanted in a single voice and carried in their

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