Golden Buddha

Dear Readers,

A few years ago, while I was writing Flood Tide, I realized that Dirk Pitt needed some help on a particular assignment, and so I dreamed up Juan Cabrillo.

Cabrillo ran a ship called the Oregon, on the outside completely nondescript, but on the inside packed with state-of-the-art intelligence-gathering equipment. It was a completely private enterprise, available for any government agency that could afford it. It went where no warship could go, transported secret cargo without suspicion, plucked data out of the air--it was the perfect complement to NUMA.

In fact, I had so much fun writing about the Oregon and its rakish, one-legged chief that I was sorry to see it sail off when its task was done. I promised myself I'd find a way to bring them back some day-- and here, I am pleased to say, they are. Golden Buddha is the first in a new series about Juan Cabrillo's merry men (and women!), and I hope you get as much of a kick reading about them as I did creating them.

And who knows, maybe some time they'll cross paths with Dirk Pitt again. . . .

Clive Cussler

For my brothers Larry, Steve, Cliff and John, and my sister, Dawn, who never let a busy day get in the way of a good nap.

FOREWORD

Just so you know, this is not a Dirk Pitt adventure, nor a NUMA Files-Kurt Austin story. This book is based on the old tramp cargo ship Oregon that I described in the Pitt tale titled Flood Tide.

Beneath her derelict superstructure and rusty hull, Oregon is a mechanical marvel of technology and scientific genius. She is crewed by a group of highly educated and intelligent mercenaries who function under the myriad umbrellas of a far-flung corporate conglomerate. They contract with governments, corporations and private interests around the world to fight corruption and challenge the sinister threats of rogue villains in the exotic ports of the seven seas.

Craig Dirgo and I worked together to create an entirely new series of adventures with a cast of characters unlike any ever seen before.

I sincerely hope you will find it an enjoyable departure as well as a fun read.

Clive Cussler

CAST OF CHARACTERS

THE CORPORATION TEAM

juan cabrillo: Chairman of the Corporation

max hanley: President of the Corporation

richard truitt: Vice President of Operations for the Corporation

THE CREW

(in alphabetic order)

george adams: Helicopter Pilot/Operative

rick barrett: Assistant Chef/Operative

monica crabtree: Supply and Logistics Coordinator/Operative

carl gannon: General Operations/Operative

chuck "tiny" gunderson: Chief Pilot/Operative

michael halpert: Finance and Accounting/Operative

cliff hornsby: General Operations/Operative

julia huxley: Medical Officer/Operative

pete jones: General Operations/Operative

hali kasim: Communications Expert/Operative

larry king: Sniper/Operative

franklin lincoln: General Operations/Operative

bob meadows: General Operations/Operative

mark murphy: Weapons Specialist/Operative

kevin nixon: Magic Shop Specialist/Operative

sam pryor: Propulsion Engineer/Operative

gunther reinholt: Propulsion Engineer/Operative

tom reyes: General Operations/Operative