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Cabrillo walked into the living room The rooentle, the walls were covered with paintings of hunting scenes and birds Along the right as a fireplace containing a roaring wood fire A pair of high-backed red leather chairs framed the fireplace, with a couch just behind them closer to the door A thick red carpet atop the inlaid wood floors led almost to the fireplace hearth Two brass laht in the otherwise dark room President Putin’s back was to Cabrillo as he stoked the fire Finishing, he stood up and turned

“Mr Cabrillo,” he said, s, “come in and have a seat”

Cabrillo slid into the red leather chair to the left of the fireplace, while Putin took the right

“Back when I ith the KGB, I had quite a file on you,” Putin said

“And me you,” Cabrillo said in Russian

Putin nodded, then looked directly into Cabrillo’s eyes “Your Russian is lish”

“Thank you, sir,” Cabrillo said

Putin nodded “I assuical profile on uess as to hoould respond?”

“It doesn’t take a teaists,” Cabrillo said, “to know you’ll say yes”

“Then why don’t you tell

Cabrillo nodded, then opened the file he had brought “Sir,” he said, “we’ve been commissioned to put the Dalai Lama back in power We think we’ve worked out a solution that can benefit everyone We just need some Russian muscle”

“Explain,” Putin said

Cabrillo handed over the document Overholt had faxed to the Gulfstreae of potential oil reserves inside Tibet We recently recovered ancient docuion”

“From the Golden Buddha that your company stole in Macau?” Putin asked

“Your intelligence is good,” Cabrillo said