cc.goldenbuddha-第5部分

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n　the　whole　prison。　Six　on　the　day　shift；　two　in　the　evening　and　two　from　midnight　until　six　in　the　morning。　You　should　have　no　problem　overpowering　the　two　on　the　station。　They'll　think　you're　a　military　unit　e　to　transport　the　prisoners　to　another　secure　facility。　You're　scheduled　to　gain　entry　at　ten　o'clock。　Subdue　the　two　on…duty　guards　and　release　the　prisoners；　then　return　to　the　submarine　and　make　the　ship　by　eleven　o'clock。　Any　later　and　you　jeopardize　our　escape　out　of　the　harbor。〃　
　〃How　so？〃　asked　one　of　Seng's　team　members。　
　〃We're　told　the　harbor　defense　systems　are　run　through　an　operational　test　every　night　at　twelve。　We've　got　to　be　well　on　our　way　to　sea　before　then。〃　
　〃Why　not　wait　and　go　in　after　midnight；　when　most　of　the　town　is　asleep？〃　asked　a　member　of　the　landing　force。　〃At　ten　o'clock；　the　local　citizens　will　still　be　stirring　around。〃　
　〃You'll　cause　less　suspicion　if　you　don't　sneak　around　the　streets　before　dawn；〃　she　replied。　〃Also；　the　other　eight　guards　are　usually　out　on　the　town　in　the　local　bars　until　early　morning。〃　
　〃You're　sure　about　that？〃　asked　Seng。　
　Linda　nodded。　〃Their　movements　have　been　watched　and　clocked　for　two　weeks　by　our　agents　in　the　city。〃　
　〃Unless　Murphy's　Law　rears　its　ugly　head；〃　said　Cabrillo；　〃the　release　of　the　prisoners　and　the　escape　should　go　smoothly。　The　tough　part　es　when　you're　all　on　board　and　we　have　to　sail　out　of　the　harbor。　The　minute　Castro's　harbor　security　forces　see　us　pull　up　the　anchor　and　turn　down　the　channel　for　the　open　sea；　they'll　know　something　is　wrong　and　all　hell　will　break　loose。〃　
　Linda　looked　at　Cabrillo。　〃We　have　the　weaponry　to　knock　them　out。〃　
　〃True；〃　Cabrillo　acknowledged。　〃But　we　cannot　fire　the　first　shot。　If　they　strike　the　Oregon　first；　however；　we'll　have　no　choice　but　to　protect　ourselves。〃　
　〃None　of　us　has　been　told；〃　said　Seng；　〃who　exactly　are　we　breaking　out　of　jail。　They　must　be　important　or　we　wouldn't　have　contracted　for　the　job。〃　
　Cabrillo　looked　at　him。　〃We　wanted　to　keep　it　under　wraps　until　we　got　here。　They're　Cuban　doctors；　journalists　and　businessmen　who　opposed　Castro's　government；　all　highly　respected　men　and　women。　Castro　knows　they　are　dangerous　if　they　are　free。　If　they　reach　the　Cuban　munity　in　Miami；　they　can　use　it　as　a　base　to　instigate　a　revolutionary　movement。〃　
　〃Is　it　a　good　contract？〃　
　〃Ten　million　dollars　if　we　deliver　them　to　U。S。　soil。〃　
　Seng　and　the　others　around　the　holographic　display　smiled。　〃That　should　add　a　tidy　little　amount　to　everyone's　nest　egg；〃　he　said。　
　〃Doing　good　for　profit；〃　Cabrillo　said　with　a　wide　grin。　〃That's　our　motto。〃　
　
　AT　PRECISELY　8：30；　Seng　and　his　small　force　boarded　the　Nomad　1000　along　with　the　two　crewmen　who　would　pilot　the　sub　and　guard　it　during　the　operation。　The　sub　looked　more　like　a　luxury　surface　yacht　than　a　submersible。　Capable　of　running　at　high　speeds　on　the　surface　with　its　diesel　engines；　it　was　battery　powered　beneath　the　waves。　With　a　speed　of　twelve　knots　underwater；　the　Nomad　could　dive　to　a　thousand　feet。　The　interior　was　designed　to　hold　twelve　people　fortably；　but　Cabrillo　had　had　her　configured　to　carry　three　times　that　number　tightly　packed　together；　for　missions　such　as　this　one。　
　The　entry　door　was　closed　and　sealed；　and　the　craft；　secured　by　a　large　sling；　was　lifted　by　a　crane　into　the　center　of　the　moon　pool。　The　operator　looked　into　the　control　room　and　was　given　the　descent　signal　by　Cabrillo。　Then；　slowly；　the　large　craft　was　lowered　into　the　black　water。　As　soon　as　she　settled；　divers　removed　the　sling　and　were　carried　upward　to　the　surrounding　balcony　by　the　crane。　
　〃Radio　check；〃　said　Seng。　〃Do　you　read　me？〃　
　〃Like　you're　in　the　same　room；〃　Linda　Ross　assured　him。　
　〃Are　we　clear？〃　
　〃No　ship　movement　and　only　three　fishing　boats　are　heading　out　to　sea。　At　thirty　feet；　you　should　stay　well　below　their　keels　and　props。〃　
　〃Keep　the　coffee　on；〃　said　Seng。　
　〃Bon　voyage；〃　quipped　Cabrillo。　
　〃That's　easy　for　you　to　say；〃　Seng　came　back。　
　A　few　moments　later；　the　lights　inside　the　Nomad　blinked　out　and　it　vanished　into　the　dark　water　of　the　harbor。　
　
　THE　PILOTS　OF　the　sub　relied　on　their　Global　Positioning　System　to　set　them　on　an　exact　course　for　the　section　of　the　city　docks　that　was　their　destination。　Detecting　the　pilings　by　their　laser　monitoring　system；　they　were　able　to　slip　between　the　stern　and　bow　of　two　container　ships　unloading　cargo　and　maneuvered　their　way　amid　the　giant　pilings。　Once　under　the　wharves　and　out　of　sight　from　anyone　above；　they　surfaced　and　closed　the　remaining　gap　using　a　laser　night…penetrating　camera　that　magnified　the　city　lights　filtering　beneath　the　pilings。　
　〃Floating　maintenance　dock　dead　ahead；〃　announced　the　chief　pilot。　There　was　no　hard　check　of　weapons　or　survival　gear。　Though　they　all　carried　concealed　handguns；　they　wanted　to　look　like　a　small　security　unit　moving　through　town　without　any　menacing　designs　on　the　citizens。　Their　only　inspection　was　to　make　sure　their　uniforms　looked　neat　and　presentable。　The　bat　members　of　the　team　had　all　been　members　of　the　Special　Forces。　They　were　under　strict　orders　not　to　mit　mayhem　unless　it　was　absolutely　necessary　in　order　to　save　lives。　Seng　himself　had　served　on　a　marine　recon　team　and　had　never　lost　a　man。　
　No　sooner　had　the　Nomad　gently　bumped　against　the　floating　dock　than　Seng；　followed　closely　by　his　team；　exited　the　sub　and　headed　up　the　stairs　to　a　little　house　that　sheltered　the　dock　and　maintenance　workers'　tools　and　small　equipment。　The　door　was　easily　unlocked　from　the　inside；　and　Seng；　with　only　a　brief　look　to　see　if　anyone　was　standing　nearby；　silently　motioned　everyone　to　follow　him。　
　The　lights　of　the　cranes　and　the　ships　they　were　unloading　lit　up　the　dock　like　daylight；　but　luckily　the　exit　door　was　opposite　and　the　team　formed　in　the　shadows。　Then；　in　a　column　of　twos　and　marching　in　cadence；　Seng　led　them　to　the　end　of　the　dock　and　around　the　warehouse。　
　His　watch　said　9：36。　Exactly　twenty…four　minutes　to　arrive　at　the　front　gate　of　the　prison。　They　found　the　truck　nine　minutes　later；　parked　under　a　dim　dock　light　beside　the　warehouse。　Seng　recognized　it　as　a　1951　Ford　delivery　van　that　looked　like　it　had　passed　the　two…million…mile　mark　years　ago。　In　the　gloom　he　could　make　out　lettering　in　a　fancy　red　script　on　the　side　of　the　fourteen…foot　cargo　body。　It　read　gonzales　food　purveyors　in　Spanish。　The　driver　was　visible　only　by　the　glow　of　his　cigarette。　
　Seng　walked　up　to　the　open　window；　hand　on　his　Ruger　P97　。45　caliber　automatic　with　suppressor；　and　said　quietly。　〃Dos。〃　
　The　driver　of　the　truck　exhaled　a　cloud　of　nonfiltered　cigarette　smoke　into　the　cab　and　replied；　〃Uno。〃　
　〃Pile　in　the　back；〃　Seng　ordered　his　team。　〃I'll　ride　in　front。〃　He　opened　the　passenger　door　and　slid　onto　the　seat。　There　was　no　conversation　as　the　driver　crunched　the　worn…out　transmission　into　gear　and　drove　off　the　dock　into　the　city　streets。　Every　other　light　on　the　boulevard　running　along　the　bay　was　dark；　either　because　the　bulbs　had　burned　out　and　had　never　been　replaced　or　to　conserve　energy。　After　a　few　blocks　the　driver　turned　onto　a　main　street　and　headed　up　a　slight　grade　toward　San　Juan　Hill。　
　Cuba's　second　largest　city；　Santiago　was　in　Oriente　Province　and　had　been　the　island's　capital　in　the　seventeenth　century。　Surrounded　by　hills　with　coffee　and　sugar…cane　plantations；　the　city　was　a　maze　of　narrow　streets；　with　small　plazas　and　buildings　of　Spanish　colonial　architecture　bearing　hanging　balconies。　
　Seng　remained　silent；　concentrating　on　scanning　the　side　streets　and　studying　the　numbers　on　his　portable　GPS　to　make　certain　the　driver　was　heading　in　the　right　direction。　The　streets　were　mostly　empty　of　traffic；　except　for　fifty…year…old　cars　parked　along　the　curbs；　and　the　sidewalks　were　filled　with　people　simply　out　for　an　after…dinner　stroll　or　sitting　in　bars　that　reverberated　with　loud　strains　of　the　Cuban　beat。　Many　of　the　stores　and　apartments　above　had　paint　that　was　faded　and　chipped；　while　others　were　coated　in　vivid　pastel　colors。　The　gutters　and　sidewalks　were　clean；　but　the　windows　looked　like　they　had　rarely　seen　a　cleaner　and　a　squeegee。　For　the　most　part；　the　people　looked　happy。　There　was　much　laughter　and　occasional　singing。　No　one　gave　the　truck　a　second　look　as　it　passed　slowly　through　the　main　downtown　section　of　the　city。　
　Seng　spotted　a　few　men　in　uniform；　but　they　seemed　more　interested　in　talking　with　women　than　watching　for　a　foreign　intrusion。　The　driver　lit　up　another　foul…smelling　cigarette。　Seng　had　never　smoked；　and　he　leaned　further　against　his　door　and　turned　his　face　through　the　open　window；　lifting　his　nose　in　disgust。　
　Ten　minutes　later　the　truck　reached　the　front　gate　of　the　fortress　prison。　The　driver　pulled　past　and　stopped　fifty　yards　down　the　road。　〃I　will　wait　here；〃　he　said；　in　almost　perfect　English。　They　were　the　first　words　he　had　spoken　since　the　dock。　
　Seng　read　him　like　a　book。　〃Educator　or　doctor？〃　
　〃I　teach　history　at　the　university。〃　
　〃Thank　you。〃　
　〃Don't　be　long。　The　truck　will　look　suspicious　if　it　sits　here　past　midnight。〃　
　〃We　should　be　out　before　then；〃　Seng　assured　him。