cc.goldenbuddha-第40章

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s　passions。　In　the　country　where　he　resided；　he　tended　to　seek　out　panions　of　Latin　descent；　there　were　many　where　he　was　from；　and　luckily　they　seemed　attracted　to　him　as　well。　Quite　honestly；　he　wished　he　was　home　right　now；　cruising　the　hilly　streets　of　his　city　in　a　quest　for　love　or　lust。　But　he　was　not。　He　was　thousands　of　miles　from　home　and　he　had　a　job　to　do。　He　smiled　at　one　of　the　deckhands　as　he　walked　past；　but　the　man　did　not　return　the　greeting。　Slowly；　the　ramp　on　the　front　of　the　ferry　lowered。　
　Along　with　the　few　other　passengers　at　this　late　hour；　he　made　his　way　up　the　slight　rise；　then　into　a　door　marked　Visitor。　Handing　over　his　passport；　he　waited　as　his　entry　into　Macau　was　approved。　Ten　minutes　later；　he　walked　from　the　building　and　hailed　a　cab。　Then　he　flipped　open　a　satellite　telephone　and　checked　his　email。　
　
　BACK　ON　THE　Oregon；　Max　Hanley　was　catching　a　catnap。　His　feet　were　propped　up　on　a　desk　in　the　control　room　and　his　head　slumped　to　one　side　in　his　chair。　One　of　the　operators　touched　his　shoulder　and　he　was　instantly　awake。　
　〃Sir；〃　the　operator　said；　〃I　think　we　have　a　problem。〃　Hanley　rubbed　his　face；　then　rose　and　walked　over　to　the　coffeepot　and　poured　a　cup。　〃Go　ahead；〃　he　said。　
　〃Someone　flagged　just　passed　through　Macau　immigration。〃　。　The　Corporation　maintained　a　large　database　on　their　puters。　Over　the　years；　the　names　of　many　people　had　been　entered。　Whenever　I　any　of　them　cropped　up　on　any　of　the　numerous　systems　the　Corporation　hacked　into；　the　information　was　examined　and　analyzed。　Hanley　took　a　sip　of　coffee　and　then　read　the　sheet　of　paper　the　operator　handed　to　him。　
　〃We　considered　that　possibility；〃　Hanley　said　quietly；　〃and　now　he's　here。〃　
　
　NIXON　WALKED　OVER　　Spenser；　aimed　at　his　head　and　pushed　the　button。　
　Then　he　stared　at　the　image　in　the　digital　camera。　
　〃Can　you　grow　facial　hair？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃It's　sparse；〃　Spenser　admitted。　
　〃What　have　we　got；〃　Cabrillo　asked　Nixon；　〃to　make　him　look　different？〃　
　Nixon　walked　over　to　the　bench　and　rustled　through　a　box　of　disguises。　〃We've　got　hair；　makeup　and　prosthetic　mouthpieces。　How　far　do　you　want　to　go？〃　
　〃It's　the　new　you；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Where　are　you　planning　to　hide？〃　
　Spenser　considered　the　question。　On　the　one　hand；　he　was　not　interested　in　having　anyone　know　his　ultimate　destinationon　the　other　hand；　from　what　he　had　seen　so　far；　these　people　would　probably　find　out　anyway。　
　〃I　was　thinking　South　America；〃　Spenser　said。　
　Cabrillo　nodded。　〃Go　with　a　light　tan；　medium　matching　mustache；　nothing　big；　and　slightly　longer　hair；〃　he　said　to　Nixon；　who　nodded　and　began　removing　items　from　the　box。　
　〃I　know　from　your　file　you　don't　speak　Spanish　or　Portuguese；　so　if　I　were　you　I'd　try　Uruguay　or　Paraguay；　where　your　British　accent　won't　stand　out　as　much。〃　
　Crabtree　walked　over。　〃Why　don't　you　have　Kevin　make　him　a　Canadian？〃　
　Cabrillo　nodded。　〃Here's　the　deal；〃　he　said。　〃You　do　the　switch　for　us　and　we　will　build　you　a　new　identity。　You　bee　a　Canadian　who　immigrated　to　Paraguay　a　few　years　ago　and　hold　citizenship。　We'll　give　you　a　flat　one　million　U。S。　dollars　to　start　over　and　a　plane　ticket　from　Hong　Kong　to　Asuncion。　What　you　do　then　is　up　to　you　and　luck。〃　
　〃The　authorities　will　stop　me　if　I　try　to　leave　Hong　Kong　with　a　million　cash；〃　Spenser　said；　feeling　hope。　
　〃We'll　take　care　of　that；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Now　pick　a　name。〃　
　Nixon　walked　over　and　began　to　apply　the　disguise。　
　〃Norman　McDonald；〃　Spenser　said。　〃Norm　McDonald　it　is；〃　Cabrillo　agreed。　
　TINY　GUNDERSON　WAS　watching　the　customs　officials　walk　through　the　737　when　his　digital　municator　vibrated。　He　removed　it　from　his　pocket　and　stared　at　the　readout。　Memorizing　the　message；　he　erased　it　and　slid　the　device　back　in　his　pocket。　The　customs　agents　walked　to　where　Gunderson　was　standing；　then　signed　a　sheet　of　paper　and　handed　it　to　the　pilot。　
　〃We'll　move　to　the　fuel　ramp　now；〃　the　pilot　said　to　the　officials；　who　nodded　and　walked　out　the　door　and　down　the　ramp。　The　ramp　was　retracted　and　the　operator　drove　it　away。　
　〃Close　the　door；〃　the　pilot　said　to　Gunderson。　Then　he　steered　
　down　the　wet　runway。　
　Thirty　minutes　later；　the　737　was　refueled　and　parked　in　a　large　hangar　only　yards　from　where　Cabrillo　and　his　team　were　waiting。　The　software　billionaire　dialed　his　satellite　telephone。　
　HORNSBY；　MEADOWS　AND　Jones　stopped　to　catch　their　breath。　All　along　the　walls　of　the　storm　sewer；　metal　and　tile　pipes　were　funneling　water　into　the　main　line。　There　was　eight　inches　of　water　on　the　floor　of　the　main　sewer　and　it　was　dotted　with　cigarette　butts；　scraps　of　paper　and　the　refuse　from　the　world　above　their　heads。　
　〃We're　gaining　an　inch　every　few　minutes；〃　Meadows　said。　Hornsby　was　staring　at　the　blueprint　under　the　light　of　his　miner's　helmet。　He　traced　the　route　and　stared　at　his　pass。　〃I　don't　think　the　water　is　rising　that　fast；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　is　cause　for　concern。〃　
　Jones　stared　around　the　crowded　space。　He　didn't　like　being　in　confined　spaces　and　he　wanted　out　as　soon　as　possible。　〃Which　way　do　we　go；　Horny？〃　
　〃We　take　the　left　passage；〃　Hornsby　said。　
　
　INSIDE　THE　CONTROL　room　on　the　Oregon；　Max　Hanley　was　staring　at　a　weather　radar　image。　A　cell　of　clouds；　the　center　an　angry　red　color；　was　situated　in　the　water　between　Hong　Kong　and　Macau。　〃Show　the　movement；〃　he　said　to　an　operator。　
　The　man　entered　mands　into　the　puter　and　the　image　moved　in　a　slow；　sweeping　wave　to　the　west。　At　the　present　speed；　the　storm　center　would　pass　over　Macau　around　four　a。m。　Sometime　during　breakfast；　the　trailing　edge　would　reach　the　Chinese　mainland　and　the　weather　would　clear。　Between　now　and　then；　there　would　be　only　rain。　
　〃Eddie；〃　Hanley　said；　〃I'm　going　to　need　you　to　take　a　team　into　the　tunnel。〃　
　Eddie　Seng　was　the　Corporation　go…to　guy。　He　had　served　in　marine　RECON；　had　spearheaded　more　than　a　few　Corporation　projects　and　had　an　innate　knack　for　making　good　out　of　bad。　So　far；　Cabrillo　and　Hanley　had　kept　him　on　the　sidelines　in　this　operation。　He　was　their　reserve　man　in　case　of　unforeseen　circumstances；　and　he　was　itching　to　get　in　the　game。　
　〃I'll　need　a　couple　of　Zodiac　boats；　and　a　method　of　locating　the　men　if　the　water　keeps　rising；〃　Seng　said。　
　〃Murphy；　Kasim　and　Huxley；〃　Hanley　said　quickly。　〃I'll　have　the　boats　prepped　and　the　equipment　arranged。　You　assemble　the　team　and　meet　me　back　here。〃　
　Seng　walked　quickly　from　the　control　room。　
　
　〃NO　MENT；〃　SUNG　Rhee　said；　slamming　down　the　telephone。　
　The　reporters　for　the　local　newspapers　had　gotten　wind　something　was　happeningthey　just　did　not　know　what。　The　hospital　Was　filled　with　guests　from　Ho's　party；　but　as　the　drug　wore　off　they　Were　leaving　one　by　one。　Food　poisoning　was　mentioned　as　the　source　of　the　guests'　disfort；　but　the　cover　story　was　flimsy　and　someone　would　soon　pierce　through　that　lie。　The　kidnappings　were　being　investigated；　reporters　with　police　scanners　had　ensured　that。　The　theft　at　the　A…Ma　Temple；　the　burning　Peugeot；　the　fire　at　the　paradeall　were　being　investigated　by　reporters。　Only　Stanley　Ho's　house　was　sealed　from　them。　Once　he　had　cleared　the　house；　he　had　locked　the　doors　to　outsiders。　Once　morning　came；　Rhee　would　be　pelled　to　ment。　
　Just　then　his　telephone　rang　again。　
　〃The　wreckage　of　the　float　is　cooling；　but　we　have　yet　to　get　close　enough　to　inspect　for　remains；〃　Detective　Po　said。　〃But　my　guess　is　they　burned　up　in　the　conflagration。〃　
　〃Was　the　float　being　observed　the　entire　time？〃　Rhee　asked。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Po　said。　
　〃Then　find　me　some　teeth；〃　Rhee　said；　〃and　melted　gold。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　Po　stared　at　the　firemen　who　were　still　spraying　water　over　the　twisted　mess　of　metal。　Within　the　hour；　he　should　be　able　to　inspect　the　wreckage。　In　the　meantime；　Ho's　theft　would　take　center　stage。　Somewhere　in　Macau　was　another　Golden　Buddha。　And　Po　intended　to　find　it。　
　
　〃OUR　DEAL　WAS　cash；〃　Spenser　said　in　answer　to　Cabrillo's　question。　
　Monica　Crabtree　was　on　the　secure　line　to　the　Oregon。　She　made　notes　on　a　sheet　of　paper；　then　disconnected。　〃Mr。　Chairman；〃　she　said；　〃I　think　you　should　see　this。〃　
　Nixon　was　doing　layout　on　Spenser