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The aide quickly ushered hi with the Dalai Lama

“Your Holiness,” Cabrillo said as he entered and bowed his head slightly

The Dalai La at Cabrillo for a full minute Then he smiled

“You are a good ston told me—but I needed to be sure for myself”

“Thank you, sir,” Cabrillo said “These are the papers that we recovered fro them to the Dalai La with the Russians”

“Copy thelish,” the Dalai Laain shortly”

The Dalai La couch, where Overholt was already seated Cabrillo sat on the end and the Dalai Lama slipped betwee

n the two men “So explain the plan,” he said

“I believe the Russians will support your bid to regain your country They will offer the ain control of Lhasa, in return for the rights to develop what you claim those documents represent: the vast oil reserves of the Himalayas”

“Their location’s known only to us,” said the Dalai Laot thee,” the Dalai Laht, they need more”

“Exactly,” Cabrillo said

“And you?” the Dalai Lama asked “Your company? What were you hired to do?”

“We were hired to steal the Golden Buddha and to pave the way for your return Once you are back inside Tibet, our obligation would, by the contract wording, end”

“So I would be left—how do you say it?—high and dry,” the Dalai Lama said

“Hard to say,” Cabrillo admitted, “and this has bothered me and my associates”