按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃You two got something up your sleeves？〃
〃The Escobar affair；〃 Starger revealed。 〃Familiar with it？〃
Ragsdale nodded。 〃The underground drug smuggling operation。〃
Juan Escobar lived just across the border in Mexico；〃 Starger explained to Sandecker and Giordino； 〃but operated a truck repair garage on this side。 He smuggled in a number of large narcotics shipments before the Drug Enforcement Agency got wise to him。 In a cooperative investigation our agents discovered a tunnel running a hundred and fifty meters from his house under the border fence to his repair shop。 We were too late for an arrest。 Escobar somehow got antsy； shut down his operation before we could nail him； and disappeared along with his family。〃
〃One of our agents；〃 added Gaskill； 〃a Hispanic who was born and raised in East Los Angeles； lives in Escobar's former house and mutes through the border crossing； posing as the new owner of Escobar's truck repair shop。〃
Starger smiled with pride。 〃The DEA and Customs have made over twenty arrests on information that came to him from other drug traffickers wanting to use the tunnel。〃
〃Are you saying it's still open？〃 asked Sandecker。
〃You'd be surprised how often it es in handy for the good guys；〃 answered Starger。
Giordino looked like a man offered salvation。 〃Can we get our stuff through to the other side？〃
Starger nodded。 〃We simply drive the van into the repair shop。 I'll get some men to help us carry your equipment under the border to Escobar's house； then load it into our undercover agent's parts truck out of sight in the garage。 The vehicle is well known over there； so there is no reason why you'd be stopped。〃
Sandecker looked at Giordino。 〃Well；〃 he said solemnly； 〃are you ready to write your obituary？〃
The stone demon stoically ignored the activity around him as if biding his time。 He did not feel； nor could he turn his head and see； the recent gouges and craters in his body and remaining wing； shot there by laughing Mexican soldiers who used him for target practice when their officers had disappeared into the mountain。 Something within the carved stone sensed that its menacing eyes would still be surveying the ageless desert centuries after the intruding humans had died and passed beyond memory into the afterworld。
A shadow passed over the demon for the fifth time that morning as a sleek craft dropped from the sky and settled onto the only open space large enough for it to land； a narrow slot between two army helicopters and the big winch with its equally large auxiliary power unit。
In the rear passenger seat of the blue and green police helicopter； Police andante of Baja Norte Rafael Corona stared thoughtfully out the window at the turmoil on the mountaintop。 His eyes wandered to the malevolent expression of the stone demon。 It seemed to stare back at him。
Aged sixty…five； he contemplated his ing retirement without joy。 He did not look forward to a life of boredom in a small house overlooking the bay at Ensenada； existing on a pension that would permit few luxuries。 His square； brown…skinned face reflected a solid career that went back forty…five years。 Corona had never E been popular with his fellow officers。 Hardworking； straight as an arrow； he had prided himself on never taking a bribe。 Not one peso in all his years on the force。 Though he never faulted others for accepting graft under the table from known criminals or shady businessmen seeking to sidestep investigations； neither did he condone it。 He had gone his own way； never informing； never voicing plaints or personal moral judgments。
Bitterly he recalled how he had been passed over for promotion more times than he could remember。 But whenever his superiors slipped too far and were discovered in scandal； the civilian missioners always turned to Corona； a man they resented for his honesty but needed because he could be trusted。
There was a reason Cortina could never be bought in a land where corruption and kickbacks were monplace。 Every man； and woman too； has a price。 Resentfully but patiently Cortina had waited until his price was met。 If he was to sell out； he wouldn't e cheap。 And the ten million dollars the Zolars offered for his cooperation； above and beyond the official approval for the treasure removal； was enough to ensure that his wife； four sons and their wives； and eight grandchildren would enjoy life in the new and rejuvenated Mexico spawned under the North American Free Trade Agreement。
At the same time； he knew the old days of looking the other way while holding out an open palm were dying out。 The last two presidents of Mexico had waged all…out war against bureaucratic corruption。 And the legalization and price regulation of certain drugs had dealt the drug dealers a blow that had cut their profits by 80 percent and their death…dealing volume by two…thirds。
Cortina stepped from the helicopter and was met by one of Amaru's men。 He remembered arresting him for armed robbery in La Paz and helping obtain a conviction and a five…year prison term。 If the freed criminal recognized Corona； there was no indication。 He was ushered by the ex…convict into an aluminum house trailer that had been airlifted from Yuma to be used as an office for the treasure recovery project on top of the mountain。
He was surprised to see modern oil paintings by some of the Southwest's finest artists adorning the walls。 Inside the richly paneled trailer； seated around an antique French Second Empire table； were Joseph Zolar； his two brothers； Fernando Matos from the National Affairs Department； and Colonel Roberto Campos； mander of northern Mexico's military forces on the Baja Peninsula。
Cortina gave a nod and a slight bow and was motioned to a chair。 His eyes widened slightly as a very attractive serving lady brought him a glass of champagne and a plate of smoked sturgeon topped by a small mound of caviar。 Zolar pointed to a cutaway illustration of the passageway leading to the interior caverns。
〃Not an easy job； let me tell you。 Bringing all that gold across a river deep below the floor of the desert； and then transporting it up a narrow tunnel to the top of the mountain。〃
〃It goes well？〃 asked Cortina。
〃Too early to throw confetti；〃 replied Zolar。 〃The hardest part； dragging out Huascar's chain； is under way。 Once it reaches the surface〃 he paused to read the dial of his watch 〃in about half an hour from now； we will cut it into sections for easier loading and unloading during shipping。 After it is safe inside our storage facilities in Morocco； it will be reconnected。〃
〃Why Morocco？〃 inquired Fernando Matos。 〃Why not your warehouse in Galveston or your estate in Douglas； Arizona？〃
〃Protection。 This is one collection of artifacts we don't want to risk storing in the United States。 We have an arrangement with the military mander in Morocco who protects our shipments。 The country also makes a convenient distribution center to ship the artifacts throughout Europe； South America； and the Far East。〃
〃How do you plan to bring out the rest of the antiquities？〃 asked Campos。
〃After they are floated across the underground river on rafts； they will be drawn up the passageway on a train of narrow platforms with ski runners。〃
〃Then the winch I requisitioned has proven useful？〃
〃A godsend； Colonel；〃 replied Oxley。 〃By six o'clock this evening your men should be loading the last of the golden artifacts onto the helicopters you so graciously provided。
Cortina held his glass of champagne but didn't taste it。 〃Is there any way of measuring the weight of the treasure？〃
〃Professor Henry Moore and his wife have given me an estimate of sixty tons。〃
〃Good God；〃 murmured Colonel Campos； an imposing figure of a man with a great mass of gray hair。 〃I had no idea it was so vast。〃
〃Historical records failed to give a full inventory；〃 said Oxley。
〃And the value？〃 asked Corona。
〃Our original estimate；〃 Oxley lectured； 〃was two hundred and fifty million American dollars。 But I think it's safe to say it's worth closer to three hundred million。〃
Oxley's amount was a total fabrication。 The market price of the gold alone had risen close to seven hundred million dollars after the Moores' inventory。 Incredibly； the added value as antiquities easily pushed the price well over one billion dollars on the underground market。
Zolar faced Corona and Campos； a broad smile on his face。 〃What this means； gentlemen； is that we can raise the ante considerably for the people of Baja California Norte。〃
〃There will be more than enough for the public works your government administrators have envisioned；〃 added Sarason。
Corona glanced sideways at Campos； and wondered how much the colonel was collecting to look the other way while the Zolars made off with the bulk of the treasure； including the massive golden chain。 And Matos was an enigma。 He couldn't figure out how the sniveling government official fit into the scheme of things。 〃In light of the increased estimated valuation； I believe a bonus should be forthing。〃
An opportunist； Campos instantly picked up on Corona's drift。 〃Yes； yes； I agree with my good friend Rafael。 For me； it was not an easy matter to seal off the border。〃
It amused Cortina to hear Campos use his Christian name for the first time in the ten years they had occasionally met to discuss mutual police and military business。 He knew how much it would irritate Campos if he did the same； so he said； 〃Roberto is quite right。 Local businessmen and politicians are already plaining about the loss of tourist revenue and the halting of mercial traffic。 Both of us will have to do some heavy explaining to our superiors。〃
〃Won't they understand when you tell them it was to keep American federal agents from making an unauthorized border crossing to confiscate the treasure？〃 asked Oxley。
〃I assure you the National Affairs Department will cooperate in every way to back your position；〃 said Matos。
〃Perhaps。〃 Cortina shrugged。 〃Who can say for certain whether our government will buy the story or order Colonel Campos and me tried in court for overstepping our authority。〃
〃Your bonus。〃 Zolar put it to Cortina。 〃What did you have in mind？〃
Without batting an eye； Cortina replied； 〃An additional ten million dollars in cash。〃
Campos was visibly stunned for an instant； but he jumped right in beside Corona。 〃Police andante Cortina speaks for both of us。 Considering our risk and the added value of the treasure； ten million cash above our original agreement is not too much to ask。〃
Sarason entered into the negotiations。 〃You realize； of course； that the estimated value is nowhere near the price that we will eventually receive。 andante Cortina knows that stolen jewels are rarely fenced for more than twenty percent of their true worth。〃
Zolar and Oxley maintained serious expressions； all the while knowing there were over a thousand collectors on their client list who were eagerly waiting to purchase portions of the golden artifacts at premium prices。
〃Ten million；〃 Cortina repeated stubbornly。
Sarason kept up the pretense of hard bargaining。 〃That's a lot of money；〃 he protested。
〃Protecting you from American and Mexican law enforcement agents is only half our involvement；〃 Cortina reminded him。 〃Without Colonel Campos's heavy transport helicopters to haul the gold to your transfer site in the Altar Desert； you would end up with nothing。〃
〃And without our involvement in the discovery； you would too；〃 said Sarason。
Corona spread his hands indifferently。 〃I cannot deny that we need each other。 But I strongly believe it would be in your best interests to be generous。〃
Sarason looked at his brothers。 Zolar gave a barely perceptible nod。 After a moment； Sarason turned to Corona and Campos and gestured in apparent defeat。 〃We know when we have a losing hand。 Consider yourselves another ten million dollars richer。〃
The maximum load the winch could tow was five tons； so Huascar's chain was to be cut in the middle and dragged out in two pieces。 The soldiers of the Mexican engineering battalion would then fashion a raft from boards requisitioned from the nearest lumber yard to