cc.goldenbuddha-第20部分

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　〃Yes；〃　one　of　his　advisors　noted；　〃things　that　are　uniquely　Tibetan。〃　
　〃When　has　this　ever　happened　before？〃　the　Dalai　Lama　asked。　
　〃Never；〃　the　advisor　admitted。　
　〃And　we　have　reports　that　the　fuel　stocks　at　the　bases　are　low？〃　
　〃That's　what　the　Tibetan　workers　at　the　bases　report；〃　the　advisor　said。　〃Excursions　by　trucks　into　the　countryside　are　being　curtailed；　and　we　have　not　had　a　report　of　a　tank　on　exercises　in　nearly　a　month。　It's　as　if　the　occupation　is　moving　into　a　stagnant　time。〃　
　The　Dalai　Lama　opened　an　unmarked　folder　and　scanned　the　contents。　〃This　coincides　with　the　reports　from　the　Virginia　consulting　group　we　have　under　contract。　Their　latest　report　shows　the　Chinese　economy　in　dire　straits。　The　Chinese　have　the　largest　increase　of　any　country　in　oil　imports；　while　at　the　same　time　the　value　of　their　investments　overseas　are　decreasing。　If　President　Jintao　doesn't　make　some　much…needed　adjustments；　his　country　could　be　plunged　into　a　full…scale　depression。〃　
　〃We　can　only　hope；〃　one　of　the　advisors　noted。　
　〃That　brings　me　to　our　main　topic　of　discussion；〃　the　Dalai　Lama　said　quietly。　〃If　we　could　take　a　moment　to　meditate　to　clear　our　minds；　I　will　explain。〃
　
　THE　BURGUNDY　737　was　a　flying　sybaritic　palace　in　the　sky。　The　software　billionaire　was　dosing　himself　with　a　carefully　calculated　mixture　of　Ecstasy　and　male　impotence　pills　to　pass　the　time。　The　Ecstasy　made　him　loving；　but　the　impotence　pills　offset　that　by　fueling　his　sexual　appetite；　which　was　a　little　aggressive。　
　At　this　instant；　in　a　forward　part　of　the　jet；　a　flight　attendant　was　making　notes　on　the　pad　of　a　personal　digital　assistant。　Once　he　was　finished；　he　plugged　it　into　the　air　phone　and　hit　send。　Now　all　he　had　to　do　was　wait　for　a　reply。　
　The　other　flight　attendant　seemed　more　concerned。　This　was　her　first　flight　on　the　billionaire's　737；　and　she　found　the　debauchery　unnerving。　
　Turning　her　head　away　from　the　rear　section　of　the　plane；　she　addressed　the　blond…haired　man。　
　〃You　ever　worked　this　gig　before？〃　
　〃First　time；〃　the　man　admitted。　
　〃If　I　didn't　need　the　money；〃　the　brunette　said；　〃I'd　make　this　trip　one…way。〃　
　The　blond…haired　man　nodded。　〃Tell　me　about　yourself；〃　he　said。　
　Thirty　minutes　later；　the　blond…haired　man　smiled。　She'd　fudged　what　he　knew　as　the　truthbut　not　by　much。　
　〃There's　an　opportunity　you　might　be　interested　in；〃　he　said　easily。　
　Just　then；　the　buzzer　from　the　rear　rang　and　a　voice　was　heard。　
　〃Bring　us　another　two　magnums　of　champagne；〃　the　billionaire　ordered。　
　〃You　keep　that　thought；〃　the　brunette　said。　〃I'll　go　water　the　horses。〃　
　
　IN　MACAU　THE　streets　were　filled　with　late…night　revelers。　Two　men　drove　slowly　along　Avenue　Conselheiro　Ferriera　de　Almeida　through　the　throngs。　The　man　in　the　passenger　seat　stared　at　a　portable　GPS　mapping　unit　and　gave　directions。　Turning　at　Avenida　do　Coronel　Mesquita；　they　headed　northwest　along　the　road　until　they　were　at　a　side　street　that　led　to　a　residential　area　within　a　half　mile　of　mainland　China。　
　〃Find　a　place　to　park；〃　the　navigator　ordered。　
　Pulling　to　the　side　of　the　road　under　a　tree；　the　driver　placed　the　van　in　park；　then　shut　off　the　engine。　The　navigator　pointed　to　a　house　set　back　from　the　road　up　the　street。　
　〃That's　the　house。〃　
　〃Shall　we？〃　the　driver　asked。　
　The　navigator　climbed　out　of　the　van　and　walked　around　to　the　front　and　waited　while　the　driver　reached　under　the　seat；　removed　a　leather　bag；　then　met　him　in　front　of　the　van。　
　〃You　notice　almost　no　one　here　has　a　dog？〃　the　driver　said。　
　
　SUNRISE　ON　GOOD　Friday；　March　25；　2005；　was　at　6：11　a。m。　On　the　decks　of　the　sampans　in　the　inner　harbor；　the　Chinese　traders　began　to　stir。　Along　Avenida　da　Amizade　in　front　of　the　Hotel　Lisboa；　a　dozen　women　dressed　in　cotton　shifts　with　conical　hats　lashed　around　their　necks　began　washing　the　sidewalk　with　soapy　water　splashed　from　tin　buckets。　Dipping　straw　brooms　into　the　buckets；　they　erased　the　debris　from　both　the　winners　and　the　losers　from　the　night　before。　A　few　diehards　stumbled　from　inside　and　squinted　at　the　light　from　a　sun　just　beginning　her　day。　
　A　few　small　three…wheeled　motorized　rickshaws　plied　the　avenue；　their　drivers　stopping　for　strong　black　coffee　served　in　small　cups；　then　continuing　on　to　deliver　packages　or　people　to　their　destinations。　At　a　small　restaurant　two　hundred　yards　northwest　of　the　casino；　the　owner　finished　a　cigarette　then　walked　inside。　On　the　stove　in　the　rear　was　a　pot　of　caldo　verde；　the　Portuguese　stew　of　potatoes；　sausage　and　locally　
　grown　greens。　He　stirred　the　mixture；　then　set　the　long　wooden　spoon　onto　a　counter　and　started　to　prepare　chickens　marinated　in　coconut　milk；　garlic；　peppercorns　and　chilies　by　rubbing　them　with　rock　salt。　Later；　the　poultry　would　be　slid　onto　skewers　and　slow…cooked　on　a　rotisserie。　
　Across　the　water；　Hong　Kong　was　hidden　by　a　haze　of　humidity　and　smog；　but　the　sound　of　the　first　high…speed　ferry　leaving　port　could　be　heard。　The　first　few　jets　of　the　day；　mainly　cargo　planes；　streaked　across　the　blue　sky　and　made　ready　for　landing　at　the　airport。　A　Chinese　naval　vessel　left　its　moorage　below　A…Ma　Temple　and　started　out　for　a　patrol；　while　a　large　luxury　yacht　with　a　helicopter　perched　on　her　fantail　called　on　the　radio　for　the　location　of　her　slip。　
　A　lone　cargo　ship；　decades　past　her　prime；　started　into　port　to　deliver　a　cargo　of　bicycles　from　Taiwan。　On　another　cargo　ship；　this　one　appearing　old　and　decrepit；　a　man　with　a　blond　crew　cut　was　sitting　at　the　table　in　his　stateroom　reading。　
　Juan　Cabrillo　had　been　awake　for　hours。　
　He　was　running　every　possible　scenario　through　his　head。　
　A　light　knock　came　at　the　door；　and　Cabrillo　stood　up　and　walked　over　and　opened　the　hatch。　
　〃Somehow　I　knew　you'd　be　awake；〃　Hanley　said。　
　Hanley　held　a　tray　of　plates　covered　by　metal　lids；　steam　escaping　from　under　them。　
　〃Breakfast；〃　he　said　as　he　walked　inside。　
　Cabrillo　cleared　a　space　on　the　table　and　Hanley　off…loaded　the　contents。　Next　he　pulled　the　lid　off　a　dinner…sized　plate　and　smiled。　
　Cabrillo　nodded　and　pointed　to　a　seat。　
　Hanley　slid　into　the　seat　and　poured　two　cups　of　coffee　from　a　thermal　carafe；　then　removed　the　lid　from　another　plate。　
　〃Anything　unusual　happen　overnight？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃No；〃　Hanley　said　easily；　〃everything　is　still　according　to　plan。〃　
　Cabrillo　sipped　his　coffee。　
　〃There's　a　lot　here　that　could　go　wrong；〃　he　said。　
　〃There　always　is。〃　
　〃That's　why　we　get　the　big　money。〃　
　〃That's　why　we　get　the　big　money；〃　Hanley　agreed。　
　
　〃SO；　DO　YOU　know　when　I　lost　my　virginity？〃　the　brunette　flight　attendant　asked。　〃You　seem　to　know　everything　else。〃
　〃That's　too　personal。〃　The　blond…haired　man　laughed。　〃But　my　failed　relationships　and　credit　card　bills　aren't？〃　The　attendant　grinned。　
　〃Sorry　about　the　intrusion　into　your　privacy。　The　group　I　work　with　has　a　thing　for　detail。〃　
　〃Sounds　like　you're　a　spy；〃　the　attendant　noted。　
　〃Oh；　heck　no；〃　the　blond…haired　man　said；　〃we　just　work　for　them。〃　
　〃Tax…free　ine　enough　so　I　can　retire？〃
　〃Everyone's　dream；〃　the　blond…haired　man　admitted。　The　brunette　attendant　glanced　around　the　forward　cabin。　She　was　really　nothing　more　than　a　glorified　waitress　on　a　restaurant　in　the　sky。　〃How　can　I　say　no？〃　she　said　finally。　〃Good；〃　the　blond…haired　man　said；　rising。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　she　asked。　
　〃I　have　to　go　kill　the　pilot；〃　the　blond…haired　man　said　lightly。　The　look　on　the　brunette　flight　attendant's　face　was　priceless。　〃Just　kidding；〃　the　blond…haired　man　said。　〃I　have　to　pee。　I'm　qualified　in　737s；　but　I　think　Mr。　Fabulous　would　think　it　odd　if　I　disappeared。〃　
　〃Who　are　you　people？〃　the　attendant　muttered　as　the　blond…haired　man　slipped　into　the　lavatory。　
　
　〃ARE　YOU　SURE　this　beast　will　make　it　to　the　border　and　back？〃　…Carl　Gannon　asked。　Gannon　was　staring　at　a　decrepit　old　two…and…a…half…ton　truck　parked　under　a　tree　alongside　a　stone　building　on　a　side　street　in　Thimbu；　Bhutan。　Sometime　in　the　past　the　truck　had　been　painted　an　olive　drab　color；　but　most　of　the　paint　was　gone　and　now　it　showed　mostly　a　light　dusting　of　hairy　rust。　The　two…part　windshield　was　cracked　on　the　passenger　side；　and　all　six　of　the　tires　were　worn　past　any　margin　of　safety。　The　hood；　which　had　a　strip　down　the　center　so　the　sides　could　be　flipped　open　to　work　on　the　engine；　was　bent　and　had　been　welded　more　than　once。　The　running　boards　were　wooden　slats。　The　exhaust　pipe　hung　down　from　the　undercarriage　and　was　held　in　place　with　rusted　wire。　
　Gannon　walked　to　the　rear　and　stared　into　the　bed。　Some　of　the　planks　that　formed　the　floor　were　cracked　and　some　were　missing；　and　the　canvas　flaps　that　covered　the　sides　were　in　roughly　the　same　condition　as　a　World　War　II　pup　tent。　
　〃Oh；　yes；　sir；〃　the　Bhutanese　owner　said　easily。　〃She　has　a　strong　heart。〃　
　Gannon　continued　his　walk　around。　Climbing　onto　the　passenger　running　board；　he　peeked　into　the　cockpit。　The　long　bench　seat　was　worn；　with　portions　of　the　springs　underneath　visible；　but　the　few　gauges　on　the　dash　were　not　cracked　and　appeared　functional。　He　climbed　down；　then　walked　over　to　the　hood　and　lifted　the　passenger　si