tc.thebearandthedragon-第81部分

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ehind；　flinging　him　to　the　right　and　jumping　on　top　of　him。
　〃Getting　this？〃　Barry　Wise　asked　in　the　corridor。
　〃Yep；〃　Nichols'　confirmed。
　What　offended　the　junior　policeman　was　not　the　attack　on　the　doctor；　but　rather　the　fact　that　this…this　citizen　had　laid　hands　on　a　uniformed　member　of　the　Armed　People's　Police。　Outraged；　he　drew　his　pistol　from　its　holster；　and　what　had　been　a　confused　situation　became　a　deadly　one。
　〃No！〃　shouted　Cardinal　DiMilo；　moving　toward　the　young　cop。　He　turned　to　see　the　source　of　the　noise　and　saw　an　elderly　gwai；　or　foreigner　in　very　strange　clothes；　moving　toward　him　with　a　hostile　expression。　The　cop's　first　response　was　a　blow　to　the　foreigner's　face；　delivered　with　his　empty　left　hand。
　Renato　Cardinal　DiMilo　hadn't　been　physically　struck　since　his　childhood；　and　the　affront　to　his　personhood　was　all　the　more　offensive　for　his　religious　and　diplomatic　status；　and　to　be　struck　by　this　child！　He　turned　back　from　the　force　of　the　blow　and　pushed　the　man　aside；　wanting　to　go　to　Yu's　aid；　and　to　help　him　keep　this　murderous　doctor　away　from　the　baby　about　to　be　born。　The　doctor　was　wavering　on　one　foot；　holding　the　syringe　up　in　the　air。　This　the　Cardinal　seized　in　his　hand　and　hurled　against　the　wall；　where　it　didn't　break；　because　it　was　plastic；　but　the　metal　needle　bent。
　Had　the　police　better　understood　what　was　happening；　or　had　they　merely　been　better　trained；　it　would　have　stopped　there。　But　they　hadn't；　and　it　didn't。　Now　the　senior　cop　had　his　Type　77　pistol　out。　This　he　used　to　club　the　Italian　on　the　back　of　the　head；　but　his　blow　was　poorly　delivered；　and　all　it　managed　to　do　was　knock　him　off　balance　and　split　his　skin。
　Now　it　was　Monsignor　Schepke's　turn。　His　Cardinal；　the　man　whom　it　was　his　duty　to　serve　and　protect；　had　been　attacked。　He　was　a　priest。　He　couldn't　use　deadly　force。　He　couldn't　attack。　But　he　could　defend。　That　he　did；　grasping　the　older　officer's　gun　hand　and　twisting　it　up；　in　a　safe　direction；　away　from　the　others　in　the　room。　But　there　it　went　off；　and　though　the　bullet　merely　flattened　out　in　the　concrete　ceiling；　the　noise　inside　the　small　room　was　deafening。
　The　younger　policeman　suddenly　thought　that　his　rade　was　under　attack。　He　wheeled　and　fired；　but　missed　Schepke；　and　struck　Cardinal　DiMilo　in　the　back。　The　。30　caliber　bullet　transited　the　body　back　to　front；　damaging　the　churchman's　spleen。　The　pain　surprised　DiMilo；　but　his　eyes　were　focused　on　the　emerging　baby。
　The　crash　of　the　shot　had　startled　Lien…Hua；　and　the　push　that　followed　was　pure　reflex。　The　baby　emerged；　and　would　have　fallen　headfirst　to　the　hard　floor　but　for　the　extended　hands　of　Reverend　Yu；　who　stopped　the　fall　and　probably　saved　the　newborn's　life。　He　was　lying　on　his　side；　and　then　he　saw　that　the　second　shot　had　gravely　wounded　his　Catholic　friend。　Holding　the　baby；　he　struggled　to　his　feet　and　looked　vengefully　at　the　youthful　policeman。
　〃Huai　dan！〃　he　shouted：　Villain！　Oblivious　of　the　infant　in　his　arms；　he　lurched　forward　toward　the　confused　and　frightened　policeman。
　As　automatically　as　a　robot；　the　younger　cop　merely　extended　his　arm　and　shot　the　Baptist　preacher　right　in　the　forehead。
　Yu　twisted　and　fell；　bumping　into　Cardinal　DiMilo's　supine　form　and　landing　on　his　back；　so　that　his　chest　cushioned　the　newborn's　fall。
　〃Put　that　away！〃　the　older　cop　screamed　at　his　young　partner。　But　the　damage　had　been　done。　The　Chinese　Reverend　Yu　was　dead；　the　back　of　his　head　leaking　brain　matter　and　venting　blood　at　an　explosive　rate　onto　the　dirty　tile　floor。
　The　doctor　was　the　first　to　take　any　intelligent　action。　The　baby　was　out　now；　and　he　couldn't　kill　it。　He　took　it　from　Yu's　dead　arms；　and　held　it　up　by　the　feet；　planning　to　smack　it　on　the　rump；　but　it　cried　out　on　its　own。　So；　the　doctor　thought　as　automatically　as　the　second　policeman's　shot；　this　lunacy　has　one　good　result。　That　he'd　been　willing　to　kill　it　sixty　seconds　before　was　another　issue　entirely。　Then；　it　had　been　unauthorized　tissue。　Now；　it　was　a　breathing　citizen　of　the　People's　Republic；　and　his　duty　as　a　physician　was　to　protect　it。　The　dichotomy　did　not　trouble　him　because　it　never　even　occurred　to　him。
　There　followed　a　few　seconds　in　which　people　tried　to　e　to　terms　with　what　had　happened。　Monsignor　Schepke　saw　that　Yu　was　dead。　He　couldn't　be　alive　with　that　head　wound。　His　remaining　duty　was　to　his　Cardinal。
　〃Eminence；〃　he　said；　kneeling　down　to　lift　him　off　the　bloody　floor。
　Renato　Cardinal　DiMilo　thought　it　strange　that　there　was　so　little　pain；　for　he　knew　that　his　death　was　imminent。　Inside；　his　spleen　was　lacerated；　and　he　was　bleeding　out　internally　at　a　lethal　rate。　He　had　not　the　time　to　reflect　on　his　life　or　what　lay　in　his　immediate　future；　but　despite　that；　his　life　of　service　and　faith　reasserted　itself　one　more　time。
　〃The　child；　Franz；　the　child？〃　he　asked　in　a　gasping　voice。
　〃The　baby　lives；〃　Monsignor　Schepke　told　the　dying　man。
　A　gentle　smile：　〃Bene；〃　Renato　said；　before　closing　his　eyes　for　the　last　time。
　The　last　shot　taken　by　the　CNN　crew　was　of　the　baby　lying　on　her　mother's　chest。　They　didn't　know　her　name；　and　the　woman's　face　was　one　of　utter　confusion；　but　then　she　felt　her　daughter；　and　the　face　was　transformed　as　womanly　instincts　took　over　pletely。
　〃We　better　get　the　fuck　out　of　here；　Barry；〃　the　cameraman　advised；　with　a　hiss。
　〃I　think　you're　right；　Pete。〃　Wise　stepped　back　and　started　to　his　left　to　get　down　the　corridor　to　the　stairs。　He　had　a　potential　Emmy…class　story　in　his　hands　now。　He'd　seen　a　human　drama　with　few　equals；　and　it　had　to　go　out；　and　it　had　to　go　out　fast。
　Inside　the　delivery　room；　the　senior　cop　was　shaking　his　head；　his　ears　still　ringing；　trying　to　figure　out　what　the　hell　had　happened　here；　when　he　realized　that　the　light　level　was　lower…the　TV　camera　was　gone！　He　had　to　do　something。　Standing　erect；　he　darted　from　the　room　and　looked　right；　and　saw　the　last　American　disappear　into　the　stairwell。　He　left　his　junior　in　the　delivery　room　and　ran　that　way；　turned　into　the　fire　stairs　and　ran　downstairs　as　fast　as　gravity　could　propel　him。
　Wise　led　his　people　into　the　main　lobby　and　right　toward　the　main　door；　where　their　satellite　van　was。　They'd　almost　made　it；　when　a　shout　made　them　turn。　It　was　the　cop；　the　older　one；　about　forty；　they　thought；　and　his　pistol　was　out　again；　to　the　surprise　and　alarm　of　the　civilians　in　the　lobby。
　〃Keep　going；〃　Wise　told　his　crew；　and　they　pushed　through　the　doors　into　the　open　air。　The　van　was　in　view；　with　the　mini…satellite　dish　lying　flat　on　the　roof；　and　that　was　the　key　to　getting　this　story　out。
　〃Stop！〃　the　cop　called。　He　knew　some　English；　so　it　would　seem。
　〃Okay；　guys；　let's　play　it　real　cool；〃　Wise　told　the　other　three。
　〃Under　control；〃　Pete　the　cameraman　advised。　The　camera　was　off　his　shoulder　now；　and　his　hands　were　out　of　casual　view。
　The　cop　holstered　his　pistol　and　came　close；　with　his　right　hand　up　and　out　flat。　〃Give　me　tape；〃　he　said。　〃Give　me　tape。〃　His　accent　was　crummy；　but　his　English　was　understandable　enough。
　〃That　tape　is　my　property！〃　Wise　protested。　〃It　belongs　to　me　and　my　pany。〃
　The　cop's　English　wasn't　that　good。　He　just　repeated　his　demand：　〃Give　me　tape！〃
　〃Okay；　Barry；〃　Pete　said。　〃I　got　it。〃
　The　cameraman…his　name　was　Peter　Nichols…lifted　the　camera　up　and　hit　the　EJECT　button；　punching　the　Beta…format　tape　out　of　the　Sony　camera。　This　he　gave　to　the　police　officer　with　a　downcast　and　angry　expression。　The　cop　took　it　with　his　own　expression　of　satisfaction　and　turned　on　his　heel　to　go　back　into　the　hospital。
　There　was　no　way　he　could　have　known　that；　like　any　news　cameraman；　Pete　Nichols　could　deal　seconds　as　skillfully　as　any　Las　Vegas　poker　dealer。　He　winked　at　Barry　Wise；　and　the　four　headed　off　to　the　van。
　〃Send　it　up　now？〃　the　producer　asked。
　〃Let's　not　be　too　obvious　about　it；〃　Wise　thought。　〃Let's　move　a　few　blocks。〃
　This　they　did；　heading　west　toward　Tiananmen　Square；　where　a　news　van　doing　a　satellite　transmission　wasn't　out　of　the　ordinary。　Wise　was　already　on　his　satellite　phone　to　Atlanta。
　〃This　is　Wise　Mobile　in　Beijing　with　an　upload；〃　the　correspondent　said　into　the　phone。
　〃Hey；　Barry；〃　a　familiar　voice　said　in　reply。　〃This　is　Ben　Golden。　What　you　got　for　us？〃
　〃It's　hot；〃　Wise　told　his　controller　half　a　world　away。　〃A　double　murder　and　a　childbirth。　One　guy　who　got　whacked　is　a　Catholic　cardinal；　the　Vatican　ambassador　to　Beijing。　The　other　one's　a　Chinese　Baptist　minister。　They　were　both　shot　on　camera。　You　might　want　to　call　Legal　about　it。〃
　〃Fuck！〃　Atlanta　observed。
　〃We're　uploading　the　rough…cut　now；　just　so　you　get　it。　I'll　stand　by　to　do　the　talking。　But　let's　get　the　video　uploaded　first。〃
　〃Roger　that。　We're　standing　by　on　Channel　Zero　Six。〃
　〃Zero　Six；　Pete；〃　Wise　told　his　cameraman；　who　also　ran　the　uplink。
　Nichols　was　kneeling　by　the　control　panels。　〃Standing　by。。。　tape's　in。。。　setting　up　for　Six。。；　transmitting。。。　now！〃　And　with　that；　the　Ku…band　signal　went　racing　upward　through　the　atmosphere　to　the　satellite　hovering　22；800　miles　directly　over　the　Admiralty　Islands　in　the　Bismarck　Sea。
　
　CNN　doesn't　bother　encrypting　its　video　signals。　To　do　so　is　technically　inconvenient；　and　few　people　bother　pirating　signals　they　could　just　as　easily　get　off　their　cable　systems　for　free　in　a　few　minutes；　or　even　get　live　just　four　seconds　later。
　But　this　one　was　ing　in　at　an　awkward　hour；　which　was；　however；　good　for　CNN　Atlanta；　because　some　headquarters　people　would　want　to　go　over　it。　A　shooting　death　was　not　what　the　average　American　wanted　with　his　Rice　Krispies　in　the　morning。
　It　was　also　downloaded　by　the　American　intelligence　munity；　which　holds　CNN　in　very　high　regard；　and　doesn't　distribute　its　news　coverage　very　far　in　any　case。　But　this　one　did　go　to　the　White　House　Office　of　Signals；　a　largely　military　operation　located　in　the　basement　of　the　West　Wing。　There　a　watch　officer　had　to　decide　how　important　it　was。　If　it　ranked　as　a　CRITIC　priority；　the　President　had　to　know　about　it　in　fifteen　minutes；　which　meant　waking　him　up　right　now；　which　was　not　something　to　be　done　casually　to　the　mander…in…Chief。　A　mere　FLASH　could　wait　a　litt