inca.gold-第97部分

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tend　to　start　now。　Despite　the　fact　your　presence　has　hamstrung　our　operation；　we　will　do　everything　in　our　power　to　help　you　escape　this　affair　in　one　piece。〃
　　　　〃The　Zolars　are　Americans；〃　Loren　reminded　her。
　　　　Micki　shrugged。　〃A　mere　technicality。　They　represent　what　is　perhaps　the　largest　art　theft　and　smuggling　ring　in　history。　The　Zolars　are　world…class　sharks。　Why　should　I　have　to　tell　you？　You've　experienced　their　brutality　firsthand。　By　leaving　their　bones　to　bleach　in　the　Sonoran　Desert；　Henry　and　I　figure　to　save　the　American　taxpayers　millions　of　dollars　that　would　be　spent　on　a　plicated　and　time…consuming　investigation　into　their　criminal　activities。　And　then　there　are　the　court　and　prison　costs　if　they're　caught　and　convicted。〃
　　　　〃And　once　a　portion　of　the　treasure　is　in　your　hands？〃　asked　Gunn。　〃What　then？〃
　　　　Micki　smiled　like　a　wily　shrew。　〃I'll　send　you　a　postcard　from　whatever　part　of　the　world　we're　in　at　the　time　and　let　you　know　how　we're　spending　it。〃

　　　　A　small　army　of　soldiers　set　up　a　mand　post　and　sealed　off　the　desert　for　two　miles　around　the　base　of　Cerro　el　Capirote。　No　one　was　allowed　in　or　out。　The　mountain's　peak　had　bee　a　staging　area　with　all　treasure　recovery　operations　conducted　from　the　air。　Pitt's　stolen　NUMA　helicopter；　repainted　with　Zolar　International　colors；　lifted　into　a　clear　sky　and　dipped　on　a　course　back　to　the　hacienda。　A　few　minutes　later；　a　heavy　Mexican　army　transport　helicopter　hovered　and　settled　down。　A　detachment　of　military　engineers　in　desert　bat　fatigues　jumped　to　the　ground；　opened　the　rear　cargo　door　and　began　unloading　a　small　forklift；　coils　of　cable；　and　a　large　winch。
　　　　Officials　of　the　state　of　Sonora　who　were　on　the　Zolars'　payroll　had　approved　all　the　necessary　licenses　and　permits　within　twenty…four　hours；　a　process　that　would　normally　have　taken　months　and　perhaps　years。　The　Zolars　had　promised　to　fund　new　schools；　roads；　and　a　hospital。　Their　cash　had　greased　the　palms　of　the　local　bureaucracy　and　eliminated　the　usual　rivers　of　red　tape。　Full　cooperation　was　given　by　an　unwitting　Mexican　government　misled　by　corrupt　bureaucrats。　Joseph　Zolar's　request　for　a　contingent　of　engineers　from　a　military　base　on　the　Baja　Peninsula　was　quickly　approved。　Under　the　terms　of　a　swiftly　drawn　up　contract　with　the　Ministry　of　the　Treasury；　the　Zolars　were　entitled　to　25　percent　of　the　treasure。　The　rest　was　to　be　deposited　with　the　national　court　in　Mexico　City。
　　　　The　only　problem　with　the　agreement　was　that　the　Zolars　had　no　intention　of　keeping　their　end　of　the　bargain。　They　weren't　about　to　split　the　treasure　with　anyone。
　　　　Once　the　golden　chain　and　the　bulk　of　the　treasure　had　been　hauled　to　the　top　of　the　mountain；　a　covert　operation　was　created　to　move　the　hoard　under　cover　of　darkness　to　a　remote　military　airstrip　near　the　great　sand　dunes　of　the　Altar　Desert　just　south　of　the　Arizona　border。　There；　it　would　be　loaded　aboard　a　mercial　jet　transport；　painted　with　the　markings　and　colors　of　a　major　airline　pany；　and　then　flown　to　a　secret　distribution　facility　owned　by　the　Zolars　in　the　small　city　of　Nador　on　the　north　coast　of　Morocco。
　　　　Everyone　had　been　ferried　from　the　hacienda　to　the　mountaintop　as　soon　as　it　became　daylight。　No　personal　effects　were　left　behind。　Only　Zolar's　jetliner　remained；　parked　on　the　hacienda's　airstrip；　ready　for　takeoff　on　a　moment's　notice。
　　　　Loren　and　Rudi　were　released　from　their　prison　and　sent　over　later　the　same　morning。　Ignoring　Sarason's　orders　not　to　municate　with　the　hostages；　Micki　Moore　had　passionately　tended　to　their　cuts　and　bruises　and　made　sure　they　were　fed　a　decent　meal。　Since　there　was　little　chance　they　could　escape　by　climbing　down　the　rocky　walls　of　the　mountain；　no　one　guarded　them　and　they　were　left　on　their　own　to　wander　about　as　they　pleased。
　　　　Oxley　quickly　discovered　the　small　aperture　leading　inside　the　mountain　and　wasted　no　time　in　directing　a　military　work　crew　to　enlarge　it。　He　stayed　behind　to　oversee　the　equipment　staging　while　Zolar；　Sarason；　and　the　Moores　set　off　down　the　passageway　followed　by　a　squad　of　engineers；　who　carried　portable　fluorescent　lights。
　　　　When　they　reached　the　second　demon；　Micki　lovingly　touched　its　eyes；　just　as　Shannon　Kelsey　had　done　before　her。　She　sighed。　〃A　marvelous　piece　of　work。〃
　　　　〃Beautifully　preserved；〃　Henry　Moore　agreed。
　　　　〃It　will　have　to　be　destroyed；〃　said　Sarason　indifferently。
　　　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　demanded　Moore。
　　　　〃We　can't　move　it。　The　ugly　beast　fills　up　most　of　the　tunnel。　There　is　no　way　we　can　drag　Huascar's　chain　over；　around；　or　between　its　legs。〃
　　　　Micki's　face　went　tense　with　shock。　〃You　can't　destroy　a　masterwork　of　antiquity。〃
　　　　〃We　can　and　we　will；〃　Zolar　said；　backing　his　brother。　〃I　agree　it's　unfortunate。　But　we　don't　have　time　for　archaeological　zealotry。　The　sculpture　has　to　go。〃
　　　　Moore's　pained　expression　slowly　turned　hard；　and　he　looked　at　his　wife　and　nodded。　〃Sacrifices　must　be　made。〃
　　　　Micki　understood。　If　they　were　to　seize　enough　of　the　golden　riches　to　keep　them　in　luxury　for　the　rest　of　their　lives；　they　would　have　to　close　their　eyes　to　the　demolition　of　the　demon。
　　　　They　pushed　on　as　Sarason　lagged　behind　and　ordered　the　engineers　to　place　a　charge　of　explosives　under　the　demon。　〃Be　careful；〃　he　warned　them　in　Spanish。　〃Use　a　small　charge。　We　don't　want　to　cause　a　cave…in。〃
　　　　Zolar　was　amazed　at　the　Moores'　vast　energy　and　enthusiasm　after　they　encountered　the　crypt　of　the　treasure　guardians。　If　left　on　their　own；　they　would　have　spent　a　week　studying　the　mummies　and　the　burial　ornaments　before　pushing　on　to　the　treasure　chamber。
　　　　〃Let's　keep　going；〃　said　Zolar　impatiently。　〃You　can　nose　around　the　dead　later。〃
　　　　Reluctantly；　the　Moores　continued　into　the　guardians'　living　quarters；　lingering　only　a　few　minutes　before　Sarason　rejoined　his　brother　and　urged　them　onward。
　　　　The　sudden　sight　of　the　guardian　encased　in　calcite　crystals　shocked　and　stunned　all　of　them；　as　it　had　Pitt　and　his　group。　Henry　Moore　peered　intently　through　the　translucent　sarcophagus。
　　　　〃An　ancient　Chachapoya；〃　he　murmured　as　if　standing　before　a　crucifix。　〃Preserved　as　he　died。　This　is　an　unbelievable　discovery。〃
　　　　〃He　must　have　been　a　noble　warrior　of　very　high　status；〃　said　Micki　in　awe。
　　　　〃A　logical　conclusion；　my　dear。　This　man　had　to　be　very　powerful　to　bear　the　responsibility　of　guarding　an　immense　royal　treasure。〃
　　　　〃What　do　you　think　he's　worth？〃　asked　Sarason。
　　　　Moore　turned　and　scowled　at　him。　〃You　can't　set　a　price　on　such　an　extraordinary　object。　As　a　window　to　the　past；　he　is　priceless。〃
　　　　〃I　know　a　collector　who　would　give　five　million　dollars　for　him；〃　said　Zolar；　as　if　he　were　appraising　a　Ming　vase。
　　　　〃The　Chachapoya　warrior　belongs　to　science；〃　Moore　lashed　back；　his　anger　choking　him。　〃He　is　a　visible　link　to　the　past　and　belongs　in　a　museum；　not　in　the　living　room　of　some　morally　corrupt　gatherer　of　stolen　artifacts。〃
　　　　Zolar　threw　Moore　an　insidious　look。　〃All　right；　Professor；　he's　yours　for　your　share　of　the　gold。〃
　　　　Moore　looked　agonized。　His　professional　training　as　a　scientist　fought　a　war　with　his　greed。　He　felt　dirtied　and　ashamed　now　that　he　realized　that　Huascar's　legacy　went　beyond　mere　wealth。　He　was　overe　with　regret　that　he　was　dealing　with　unscrupulous　scum。　He　gripped　his　wife's　hand；　knowing　without　doubt　she　felt　the　same。　〃If　that's　what　it　takes。　You've　got　yourself　a　deal。〃
　　　　Zolar　laughed。　〃Now　that's　settled。　Can　we　please　proceed　and　find　what　we　came　here　for？〃
　　　　A　few　minutes　later；　they　stood　in　a　shoulder…to…shoulder　line　on　the　edge　of　the　subterranean　riverbank　and　stared　mesmerized　at　the　array　of　gold；　highlighted　by　the　portable　fluorescent　lamps　carried　by　the　military　engineers。　All　they　saw　was　the　treasure。　The　sight　of　a　river　flowing　through　the　bowels　of　the　earth　seemed　insignificant。
　　　　〃Spectacular；〃　whispered　Zolar。　〃I　can't　believe　I'm　looking　at　so　much　gold。〃
　　　　〃This　easily　exceeds　the　treasures　of　King　Tut's　tomb；〃　said　Moore。
　　　　〃How　magnificent；〃　said　Micki；　clutching　her　husband's　arm。　〃This　has　to　be　the　richest　cache　in　all　the　Americas。〃
　　　　Sarason's　amazement　qui