tc.thebearandthedragon-第101部分

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　〃Here　order。　Turn　camera　off！〃　he　demanded。
　〃Please；　allow　me　to　look　at　the　order；〃　Wise　replied；　so　angry　at　what　he'd　just　seen　that　he　was　willing　to　risk　a　cracked　head　of　his　own；　just　so　Pete　got　it　up　to　the　satellite。　He　scanned　the　page　and　handed　it　back。　〃I　cannot　read　this。　Please　excuse　me；〃　he　went　on；　deliberately　baiting　the　man　and　wondering　exactly　where　the　limits　were；　〃but　I　cannot　read　your　language。〃
　It　looked　as　though　Rong's　eyes　would　pop　out　of　his　head。　〃It　say　here；　turn　camera　off！〃
　〃But　I　can't　read　it；　and　neither　can　my　pany；〃　Wise　responded；　keeping　his　voice　entirely　reasonable。
　Rong　saw　the　camera　and　microphone　were　both　pointed　his　way；　and　now　he　realized　that　he　was　being　had；　and　had　badly。　But　he　also　knew　he　had　to　play　the　game。　〃It　say　here；　must　turn　camera　off　now。〃　Rong's　fingers　traced　the　page　from　one　symbol　to　another。
　〃Okay；　I　guess　you're　telling　me　the　truth。〃　Wise　stood　erect　and　turned　to　face　the　camera。　〃Well；　as　you　have　just　seen；　we've　been　ordered　by　the　local　police　to　cease　transmission　from　this　place。　To　summarize；　the　widow　of　the　Reverend　Yu　Fa　An　and　members　of　his　congregation　came　here　today　to　pray　for　their　departed　pastor。　It　turns　out　that　Reverend　Yu's　body　was　cremated　and　his　ashes　scattered。　His　widow；　Yu　Chun；　was　denied　access　to　her　home　by　the　police　because　of　alleged　improper　'political'　activity；　by　which　I　guess　they　mean　religious　worship；　and　as　you　just　saw；　the　local　police　attacked　and　clubbed　members　of　the　congregation。　And　now　we're　being　chased　away；　too。　Atlanta；　this　is　Barry　Wise；　reporting　live　from　Beijing。〃　Five　seconds　later；　Nichols　dropped　the　camera　off　his　shoulder　and　turned　to　stow　it　in　the　truck。　Wise　looked　back　down　at　the　police　lieutenant　and　smiled　politely；　thinking；　You　can　shove　this　up　your　skinny　little　ass；　Gomer！　But　he'd　done　his　job；　getting　the　story　out。　The　rest　was　in　the　hands　of　the　world。
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　31　
　The　Protection　of　Rights
　
　CNN　transmits　its　news　coverage　twenty…four　hours　a　day　to　satellite　dishes　all　over　the　world；　and　so　the　report　from　the　streets　of　Beijing　was　noted　not　only　by　the　American　intelligence　services；　but　by　accountants；　housewives；　and　insomniacs。　Of　the　last　group；　a　goodly　number　had　access　to　personal　puters；　and　being　insomniacs；　many　of　them　also　knew　the　e…mail　address　for　the　White　House。　E…mail　had　almost　overnight　replaced　telegrams　as　the　method　of　choice　for　telling　the　U。S。　government　what　you　thought；　and　was　a　medium　which　they　appeared　to　heed；　or　at　least　to　read；　count；　and　catalog。　The　latter　was　done　in　a　basement　office　in　the　Old　Executive　Office　Building；　the　OEOB；　the　Victorian　monstrosity　immediately　to　the　west　of　The　House。　The　people　who　ran　this　particular　office　reported　directly　to　Arnold　van　Damm；　and　it　was　actually　rather　a　thorough　and　well…organized　measure　of　American　public　opinion；　since　they　also　had　electronic　access　to　every　polling　organization　in　the　country…and；　indeed；　the　entire　world。　It　saved　money　for　the　White　House　not　to　conduct　its　own　polling；　which　was　useful；　since　this　White　House　didn't　really　have　a　political　office　per　se；　somewhat　to　the　despair　of　the　Chief　of　Staff。　Nevertheless；　he　ran　that　part　of　White　House　operations　himself；　and　largely　unpensated。　Arnie　didn't　mind。　For　him；　politics　was　as　natural　as　breathing；　and　he'd　decided　to　serve　this　President　faithfully　long　before；　especially　since　serving　him　so　often　meant　protecting　him　from　himself　and　his　frequently　stunning　political　ineptitude。
　The　data　which　started　arriving　just　after　midnight；　however；　didn't　require　a　political　genius　to　understand　it。　Quite　a　few　of　the　e…mails　had　actual　names　attached…not　mere　electronic　〃handles〃…and　a　lot　of　them　were　DEMANDING！！！　action。　Arnie　would　remark　later　in　the　day　that　he　hadn't　known　that　so　many　Baptists　were　puter…literate；　something　he　reproached　himself　for　even　thinking。
　In　the　same　building；　the　White　House　Office　of　Signals　duly　made　a　high…quality　tape　of　the　report　and　had　it　walked　to　the　Oval　Office。　Elsewhere　in　the　world；　the　CNN　report　from　Beijing　arrived　at　breakfast　time；　causing　more　than　a　few　people　to　set　their　coffee　（or　tea）　cups　down　immediately　before　a　groan　of　anger。　That　occasioned　brief　dispatches　from　American　embassies　around　the　world；　informing　the　Department　of　State　that　various　foreign　governments　had　reacted　adversely　to　the　story　on　CNN；　and　that　various　PRC　embassies　had　found　demonstrators　outside　their　gates；　some　of　them　quite　vociferous。　This　information　rapidly　found　its　way　to　the　Diplomatic　Protection　Service；　the　State　Department　agency　tasked　with　the　job　of　securing　foreign　diplomats　and　their　embassies。　Calls　went　out　from　there　to　the　D。C。　police　to　increase　the　uniformed　presence　near　the　PRC's　various　missions　to　America；　and　to　arrange　a　rapid　backup　should　any　similar　problems　develop　right　here　in　Washington。
　By　the　time　Ben　Goodley　awoke　and　drove　over　to　Langley　for　his　morning　briefing；　the　American　intelligence　munity　had　pretty　well　diagnosed　the　problem。　As　Ryan　had　so　colorfully　said　it　himself；　the　PRC　had　stepped　very　hard　on　the　old　crank　with　the　golf　shoes；　and　even　they　would　soon　feel　the　pain。　This　would　prove　to　be　a　gross　understatement。
　
　The　good　news　for　Goodley；　if　you　could　call　it　that；　was　that　Ryan　invariably　had　his　breakfast…room　TV　tuned　to　CNN；　and　was　fully　aware　of　the　new　crisis　before　putting　on　his　starched　white　button…down　shirt　and　striped　tie。　Even　kissing　his　wife　and　kids　on　their　way　out　of　The　House　that　morning　couldn't　do　much　to　assuage　his　anger　at　the　inprehensible　stupidity　of　those　people　on　the　other　side　of　the　world。　〃God　damn　it；　Ben！〃　POTUS　snarled　when　Goodley　came　into　the　Oval　Office。
　〃Hey；　Boss；　I　didn't　do　it！〃　the　National　Security　Adviser　protested；　surprised　at　the　President's　vehemence。
　〃What　do　we　know？〃
　〃Essentially；　you've　seen　it　all。　The　widow　of　the　poor　bastard　who　got　his　brains　blown　out　the　other　day　came　to　Beijing　hoping　to　bring　his　body　back　to　Taiwan　for　burial。　She　found　out　that　the　body　had　been　cremated；　and　the　ashes　disposed　of。　The　local　cops　would　not　let　her　back　into　her　house；　and　when　some　members　of　the　parish　came　by　to　hold　a　prayer　service；　the　local　cops　decided　to　break　it　up。〃　He　didn't　have　to　say　that　the　attack　on　the　widow　had　been　caught　with　particular　excellence　by　the　CNN　cameraman；　to　the　point　that　Cathy　Ryan　had　mented　upstairs　that　the　woman　definitely　had　a　broken　nose；　and　possibly　worse；　and　would　probably　need　a　good　maxillary　SURGEON　to　put　her　face　back　together。　Then　she'd　asked　her　husband　why　the　cops　would　hate　anyone　so　much。
　〃She　believes　in　God；　I　suppose；〃　Ryan　had　replied　in　the　breakfast　room。
　〃Jack；　this　is　like　something　out　of　Nazi　Germany；　something　from　that　History　Channel　stuff　you　like　to　watch。〃　And　doctor　or　not；　she'd　cringed　at　the　tape　of　the　attacks　on　Chinese　citizens　armed　only　with　Bibles。
　〃I've　seen　it；　too；〃　van　Damm　said；　arriving　in　the　Oval　Office。　〃And　we're　getting　a　flood　of　responses　from　the　public。〃
　〃Fuckin'　barbarians；〃　Ryan　swore；　as　Robby　Jackson　came　in　to　plete　the　morning's　intelligence…briefing　audience。
　〃You　can　hang　a　big　roger　on　that　one；　Jack。　Damn；　I　know　Pap's　going　to　see　this；　too；　and　today's　the　day　for　him　to　do　the　memorial　service　at　Gerry　Patterson's　church。　It's　going　to　be　epic；　Jack。　Epic；〃　the　Vice　President　promised。
　〃And　CNN's　going　to　be　there？〃
　〃Bet　your　bippy；　My　Lord　President；〃　Robby　confirmed。
　Ryan　turned　to　his　Chief　of　Staff。　〃Okay；　Arnie；　I'm　listening。〃
　〃No；　I'm　the　one　listening；　Jack；〃　van　Damm　replied。　〃What　are　you　thinking？〃
　〃I'm　thinking　I　have　to　talk　to　the　public　about　this。　Press　conference；　maybe。　As　far　as　action　goes；　I'll　start　by　saying　that　we　have　a　huge　violation　of　human　rights；　all　the　more　so　that　they　had　the　fucking　arrogance　to　do　it　in　front　of　world　opinion。　I'll　say　that　America　has　trouble　doing　business　with　people　who　act　in　this　way；　that　mercial　ties　do　not　justify　or　cancel　out　gross　violations　of　the　principles　on　which　our　country　is　founded；　that　we　have　to　reconsider　all　of　our　relations　with　the　PRC。〃
　〃Not　bad；〃　the　Chief　of　Staff　observed；　with　a　teacher's　smile　to　a　bright　pupil。　〃Check　with　Scott　for　other　options　and　ideas。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Jack　nodded。　〃Okay；　broader　question；　how　will　the　country　react　to　this？〃
　〃The　initial　response　will　be　outrage；〃　Arnie　replied。　〃It　looks　bad　on　TV；　and　that's　how　most　people　will　respond；　from　the　gut。　If　the　Chinese　have　the　good　sense　to　make　some　kind　of　amends；　then　it'll　settle　down。　If　not〃…Arnie　frowned　importantly…〃I　have　a　bad　feeling。　The　church　groups　are　going　to　raise　hell。　They've　offended　the　Italian　and　German　governments…so　our　NATO　allies　are　also　pissed　off　at　this…and　smashing　that　poor　woman's　face　isn't　going　to　win　them　any　friends　in　the　women's　rights　movement。　This　whole　business　is　a　colossal　loser　for　them；　but　I'm　not　sure　they　understand　the　implications　of　their　actions。〃
　〃Then　they're　going　to　learn；　the　easy　way　or　the　hard　way；〃　Goodley　suggested　to　the　group。
　
　Dr。　Alan　Gregory　always　seemed　to　stay　at　the　same　Marriott　overlooking　the　Potomac；　under　the　air　approach　to　Reagan　National　Airport。　He'd　again　taken　the　red…eye　in　from　Los　Angeles；　a　flight　which　hadn't　exactly　improved　with　practice　over　the　years。　Arriving；　he　took　a　cab　to　the　hotel　for　a　shower　and　a　change　of　clothes；　which　would　enable　him　to　feel　and　look　vaguely　human　for　his　10：15　with　the　SecDef。　For　this　at　least；　he　would　not　need　a　taxi。　Dr。　Bretano　was　sending　a　car　for　him。　The　car　duly　arrived　with　an　Army　staff　sergeant　driving；　and　Gregory　hopped　in　the　back；　to　find　a　newspaper。　It　took　only　ten　minutes　to　pull　up　to　the　River　Entrance；　where　an　Army　major　waited　to　escort　him　through　the　metal　detector　and　onto　the　E…ring。
　〃You　know　the　Secretary？〃　the　officer　asked　on　the　way　in。
　〃Oh；　yeah；　from　a　short　distance；　anyway。〃
　He　had　to　wait　half　a　minute　in　an　anteroom；　but　only　half　a　minute。
　〃Al；　grab　a　seat。　Coffee？〃
　〃Yes；　thank　you；　Dr。　Bretano。〃
　〃Tony；〃